Fraud action dropped against 'false address' school case
Council drops attempt to prosecute mother for using false address
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By James Christie. |  |
Friday, 03, Jul 2009 04:40
A council has dropped its attempt to prosecute a mother for using a false address on an admission form to get her son into a popular state school.
Mrinal Patel, 41, gave her mother's address when applying for a place for her five-year-old son Rhys at Pinner Park First School in Harrow, north London, last year.
Harrow council used the Fraud Act 2006 to prosecute Mrs Patel after it emerged the address she had used did not match that on her tax records, but has now withdrawn its legal action over potentially expensive legal fees.
"It's a great relief for me and my family. It's been an extremely difficult ordeal and I'm happy to put the matter behind me," Mrs Patel told the BBC.
"I have from the outset denied the allegations and the council's unconditional withdrawal of the proceedings confirms my innocence."
Some 411 parents applied for 90 available places at Pinner Park First School in September 2008, with children living closest to the school selected for admission.
Mrs Patel had given her mother's address - which was in the school's catchment area - in applying for a place for her son, rather than her own address in Streatfield Road, Harrow.
Council leader David Ashton told the BBC there seemed to be a "loophole" which made it uncertain whether Mrs Patel's case was covered by the Fraud Act.
"While we stand by the substance of our case, subsequent legal advice is that technical legal arguments over the interpretation of the Act could pose a risk to the success of the action," he added.
"We have therefore decided that, rather than incur potentially costly legal fees over a crown court case that might be undermined by legal argument; the interests of residents are better served by Harrow council withdrawing this action.
"This case was never about persecuting mothers who wish to do the best for their children; it was about defending the integrity of the school system against those who might seek to flout it."