article_snippet.sent: Rachel Knight, prosecuting, said Sian Harkin skipped procedures and instead issued cheques, even forging the deputy head's name in order to cash one in person.
article_snippet.sent: In total, Sian Harkin signed six cheques to cowboy builder Lee Slocombe over a six-month period.
article_snippet.sent: Sian Harkin signed another one in September of the same year for £5,000, which was cashed at Cash Converters, in Aberdare, by one of cowboy builder Lee Slocombe's employees.
article_snippet.sent: In total, Sian Harkin (left) signed six cheques to cowboy builder Lee Slocombe (right) totalling £30,000.
article_snippet.sent: Sian Harkin issued another £5,000 cheque later that month, which Slocombe partially cashed.
article_snippet.sent: Sian Harkin then issued a further three cheques on the same day on January 3 last year, one for £5,000, which was rejected by the bank and another, which was not presented.
article_snippet.sent: The last cheque, for £3,200, Sian Harkin actually took into a Porth bank herself to cash after forging the signature of the deputy head, Susan Jones. '
article_snippet.sent: a further three cheques were signed during the school holidays because Sian Harkin knew there would be no likelihood of being caught by staff.'
article_snippet.sent: Judge Richard Twomlow told Sian Harkin: 'Not only were you responsible for writing the cheques