Lincoln trust sought legal advice after national paper investigated employment of boss’ son

The former chairman of the Priory Federation of Academies Trust (PFA) told a jury he sought legal advice following a national newspaper inquiry about the employment of the chief executive’s son.

Former chief executive Richard Gilliland denies defrauding the PFA out of thousands of pounds, as well as allegedly employing his son Kia Richardson, after suppressing a CRB check, which revealed his past criminal convictions.

A jury at Lincoln Crown Court has been told Richardson was employed as a stable yard manager at the PFA’s Laughton Manor equestrian centre, near Sleaford, despite having previously served a jail sentence for an offence of outraging public decency.

Richardson resigned his post in June 2011 after the News of the World newspaper began making inquiries about his appointment, the jury were told.

Terry Coffey, who was Chairman of the PFA Trust at the time, told the jury he remembered speaking to Gilliland, who was driving, to discuss the appropriate response to the situation.

Giving evidence on his third day in the witness box, Coffey said: “I’d spoken to Mr Gilliland on the telephone with a view to instructing legal advice to what sort of press release we could deliver.”

Coffey added: “I said ‘I think we need some legal advice’ and Mr Gilliland agreed, that’s how I commissioned the meeting with Langleys.”

Following the discussion, a meeting was held with Lincoln-based law firm Langleys, at which the PFA received advice from a barrister in London over a video-link, the jury heard.

The News of the World story was never published as the newspaper ceased publishing within days of the reporter making a Freedom of Information request to the Federation.

Coffey told the jury he also had discussions with a senior civil servant about the best way forward to describe the posts for Gilliland’s £200,000 salary.

Richard Gilliland, 64, who now lives in Spain, denies six charges of fraud by abuse of position on dates between October 2008 and November 2011.

The PFA’s former finance director Stephen Davies, 58, of Abingdon Avenue, Lincoln, denies three charges of fraud by abuse of position.

The trail continues on Monday due to the Lincoln Christmas Market.

Follow the progress of the trial so far:

• Ex-Lincoln academy boss employed son who failed CRB check, fraud trial hears
• Lincoln academy paid £2,480 bill for CEO’s son to attend training course, court hears
• Fraud trial: Lincoln academy’s financial management described as “chaotic”
• ‘Forceful’ ex-Lincoln academy boss rarely backed up expenses with receipts, court hears
• Boss’ son who failed CRB check not interviewed for job at Lincoln academy, trial hears
• Lincoln academy invoice was tampered with, court hears from employee
• Employee tells jury ex-Lincoln federation boss was “drained” by problems with son
• Ex-Lincoln academy boss’ son left trust in “turmoil”, jury told
• Solicitor ‘had no knowledge’ of ex-Lincoln academy CEO’s employment conditions, jury hears
• Ex-Lincoln academy boss provided alternative curriculum for disruptive pupils
• Gilliland fraud trial: No overtime payments were authorised to son
• Ex-Lincoln academy boss considered retirement before he resigned, court hears
• Ex-Lincoln academies boss described as ‘admirable’ as fraud trial resumes
• Federation chairman denies conspiracy to make Gilliland a scapegoat, fraud trial hears

Due to the judge’s ruling on Friday, November 13, any comments on the ongoing trial on The Lincolnite will be removed.