A VALE school secretary and clerk to four parish councils is starting a four and a half year jail sentence for fraud on a massive scale.

Christine Rose, from Long Hyde Road, South Littleton admitted 22 offences of stealing more than £220,000, when she appeared in court. The cash was taken from Offenham First School and parish councils in Offenham, South Littleton, Wickhamford and Honeybourne. Rose also asked for 672 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Judge Michael Mott sentencing Rose at Worcester Crown Court last Friday said he had never come across a case quite like it.

He told the 52-year-old: "I am struck by the sheer length of time these offences have been going on, the sheer volume of work you dedicated yourself to in order to obtain money, and the ability to cover up what you have done. Treachery is not too strong a word to describe it - people trusted you."

Earlier the court heard that Rose forged signatures on bank statements, cheques, bank authorisation slips and fabricated parish council minute books between 1991 and 1999. Prosecuting, Malcolm Parkes said: "She was extremely cunning. It was a large scale, long running and extensive fraud."

Rose was finally caught out at Offenham First School in the summer of 1999. Staff noticed that three printers had been ordered but only two were in the school. Later forged signatures amounting to £27,961 were discovered with just over £20,000 going into the bank account of Mr and Mrs Rose.

A coffee table, television and other equipment had been ordered but were not at the school, and Rose duped Worcestershire County Council into paying her for 28 hours a week instead of 21, and for bogus work at the school.

When auditors arrived she disconnected the phone system to put them off seeing Jean Wardle, head teacher, and wiped records off the school computer.

Mr Parkes said the trauma Mrs Wardle suffered before and after Rose's arrest in August led to her eventual collapse in October 1999.

Police investigating Rose also found out that tens of thousands of pounds had been fiddled out of South Littleton, Offenham Wickhamford and Honeybourne parish council funds, loans were taken out without the councillors' knowledge, and play equipment which was supposed to have been purchased was leased instead.

The fraudster secured £115,000 from the Public Works Loans Board, made false claims for VAT of £68,253, obtained £30,000 for council work and secured £20,000 in overdraft facilities.

Defending Rose, David Iles said she was once regarded as a pillar of the community and now she has lost her marriage, reputation, standing in the community, her health, her home and her self respect. He said she was in a loveless marriage and needed to buy her husband's affection. She accumulated 40 to 50 credit cards and as soon as one reached its limit she started another until the collective interest charge amounted to £60,000 a year.

Mr Iles said there was no evidence as to where the money went. He said: "She spent it on intangible things that soaked up money like blotting paper. She went completely out of control and didn't know which way to turn."