A FATHER allegedly helped stole cash after dropping his little girl off late at her school, a jury heard.

Burnley Crown Court was told Gary Hughes pocketed £120 of school funds from the secretary's office after sneaking back into Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School.

He was captured on video leaving and then returning to the school on Raglan Road, Burnley, while the secretary took his daughter into class.

The defendant, of Accrington Road, Burnley, denies theft of the money, belonging to the school's governors.

Michael Goldwater, prosecuting, told the court Christine Bell, the school's secretary, was working in her office near the entrance, which had a coded security door. She was counting cash, as she was going to take £500 to the bank.

Mrs Bell left her office and let in a teacher from a nursery school who had several young nursery children with her.

Immediately behind was Hughes with his daughter and he went into the premises, handed the child a rucksack, gave her a kiss and left.

Mr Goldwater said what happened next was captured by the CCTV at the entrance of the school.

When the defendant left the school, he closed the door very very slowly, making sure the lock did not engage. He was seen leaving the premises and then seconds later returned, opened the door and walked in. Hughes was then spotted looking round in what the Crown would say was a furtive manner.

The defendant left the view of the CCTV cameras for a few seconds and shortly afterwards left the school through the front door.

Mr Goldwater alleged: "What he had done in the meantime was to have a quiet look around and then he had gone into the secretary's office and taken £120 in cash from the desk."

Mrs Bell had taken Hughes' daughter to her class and returned to her office to find the cash missing. She checked the video and after seeing that, alerted the police.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested and when interviewed by the police, he denied having stolen the money, although he said he may well have returned to the school.

Mr Goldwater told the jury no other people were around at the time the money went missing and Hughes' behaviour was clearly shown on the video.

Proceeding