TELEVISION researchers are waiting to hear whether former Accrington teacher Alistair Beeston will tell his story of deception in a studio debate.

The former deputy head of St Peter's C of E Primary, who recently completed a three-month jail sentence for obtaining salary by deception and other offences, has been asked to take part in a new series of the popular BBC discussion show Kilroy.

His misdemeanours were uncovered when a colleague at Nether Kellet Primary School, near Carnforth, where he was deputy headteacher, became suspicious of him.

At Preston Crown Court, the jury heard how Beeston, who worked in Accrington for several years until 1992, had first made his colleague suspicious when he presented the school with a restaurant bill for a school trip to Merseyside.

He had co-signed cheques - to be paid in advance to cover all their expenses - but it later emerged that by the time the cheques were presented to the bank they had been altered. When youngsters left Nether Kellet school each evening he would stay behind to use the telephone and operate a scam in which he posed as a solicitor, persuading car dealers to loan him top-of-the-range vehicles to test drive, saying he was thinking of investing in a business fleet. Kilroy researcher Emma Goddard said: "We have contacted Mr Beeston in Liverpool but he has yet to say whether he will come on the show.

"The programme, which will tackle the issue of people who lead double lives, is still in the planning stage and we are still hoping he will agree to appear."

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