Teaching assistant who stole charity money to pay drug dealers keeps job
A primary school teaching assistant who stole money intended for charity to pay off her son's drug dealer will be able to continue her career.
Experienced teaching assistant Caroline Hannigan, 56, admitted taking almost $500 (£287) raised for the British Heart Foundation and giving it to dealers.
She could have been struck from the teaching register for the offence - but a disciplinary panel has decided that she will be allowed to to return to the classroom.
Hannigan said she handed over the cash after dealers threatened to make her "disappear" over her son's drug debts.
She told a disciplinary panel she handed two drug dealers £300 in cash - including the £287 raised by pupils at her school for the British Heart Foundation - when they arrived at her home.
The Education Workforce Council heard Hannigan - who had worked in Glanhowy Primary School in Tredegar, Gwent for 23 years - was investigated over the theft in February 2015.
Caroline Hannigan, 56, a teaching assistant at Glanhowy Primary School. Source: WALES NEWS SERVICE
She was interviewed by police and taken to court where she was handed a conditional discharge.
Presenting Officer Cadi Dewi said: "This was a lengthy and sustained deception which was only admitted to her employers when she was confronted by colleagues.
"She only notified her current school about proceedings a week before this hearing.
"She's confirmed she only notified the school because she realised it was inevitable they would find out anyway."
David Harris, representing Hannigan, said she had been put under "extreme duress" and denied she'd deliberately stolen the money to pay off the drug dealers.
Mr Harris said: "There was no intention that when she went home that night she had an intention to dispose of the money dishonestly.
"But later that night she did and acted deliberately. It was spontaneous and not something that had been planned.
"It's not the case this was part of a grander scheme to repay her son's drug debt.
"There can be no doubt that she was under extreme duress. It's a highly unusual incident."
Hannigan told the hearing: "I heard a banging on the back and front doors, I went to the back door and there was a man standing there who wanted to see my son because he owed him some money - money he owed them for drugs.
"I shut the door on them but they banged again - they just wanted to get at my son who was in the house with me and we were both very frightened.
"They were very threatening, saying that we 'could disappear' or the house could burn down."
She said they demanded £1,000 for her 31-year-old son's drug debts but they were satisfied with a down payment of £300.
The Education Workforce Council hearing was told Mrs Hannigan was a "frequent collector" for the charity because her daughter had been treated for a serious heart problem.
She told the panel: "I'm sorry this has happened I'm very remorseful.
"I knew my son was in with a bad lot."
Hannigan admitted taking the money and using it to pay the dealers and had admitted unacceptable professional conduct.
The disciplinary panel on Wednesday handed Hannigan a reprimand, allowing her to immediately return to the classroom.
Panel chair Jacquie Turnbull said although Hannigan had acted dishonestly, her actions were not premeditated and she had since shown "genuine remorse."
Miss Turnbull said: "We're satisfied she intended to repay the money and gave credible evidence as to why she hadn't already done so.
"We're satisfied there's no significant risk of her repeating her actions."
