A school treasurer who embezzled almost £10,000 from an Aberdeen primary has avoided jail.
Nicola Low was working for the parent-teacher association at Mile End Primary when she stole £9,620 from school funds.
The money had been earmarked to buy play equipment for pupils after it was donated by oil companies in the north-east.
However, the mother took cash over the course of a year, between August 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012.
Yesterday, Low appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to be sentenced having admitted committing the offence a year ago.
Since her guilty plea was entered last June sentence has been repeatedly deferred in order for her to attempt to repay some of the cash she stole.
And yesterday the 48-year-old avoided jail as she was finally placed on a year-long community payback order.
Sheriff Alison Stirling ordered Low, of 175 Midstocket Road, to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and will have to pay the school £5,620 in compensation within six months.
In April, Sheriff William Taylor ordered Low to repay £4,000 immediately to the PTA.
Her defence agent, John Hardie, told the court that she had those funds available and was expecting to obtain a further £2,000.
The court previously heard that the mum was attempting to remortgage her west end home to repay the money in full.
Throughout the course of the academic year, members of the school’s PTA organise fundraising events.
The money predominantly goes towards items not normally provided by the city council, to improve children’s education, leisure and learning.
In the past the cash has funded trips and paid for interactive whiteboards, digital equipment, musical instruments and football strips.
Large sums of money were also donated to the project by oil companies in Aberdeen. It is understood this was the cash embezzled by Low.
Last year the 510-pupil school, which also caters for children with special needs, opened a £50,000 playground which helps able-bodied and disabled pupils to play together.
After entering her guilty plea last June, Low appeared in court the following month when prosecutors moved for a proceeds of crime order to be granted against her to recover the cash.
She had also previously been accused of embezzling £832.26 from the National Youth Choir of Scotland while acting as its area co-ordinator between June and December 2013 but her not guilty plea was accepted by the Crown.
