Neil Metcalf was given a 15-month prison sentence for his offences at two primary schools
08:00, 19 May 2026Updated 08:05, 19 May 2026
Former headteacher Neil Metcalf, of Jubiliee Avenue, Childwall(Image: Merseyside Police)
A disgraced headteacher who stole more than £15,000 from two Liverpool primary schools as part of a “sophisticated fraud” has been barred from teaching. Neil Metcalf abused his position at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School and Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School in Mossley Hill for years.
It was revealed in 2024 how after racking up a £100,000 credit card debt, the 51-year-old, of Jubilee Avenue in Childwall, sent the money in the form of cheques to his unsuspecting stepson, with instructions to transfer the cash into his personal bank account after the cheques had cleared. He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by abuse of position in Liverpool Crown Court.
As a result, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison. A Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing has added to his sanctions, by prohibiting from teaching for at least six years.
Metcalf was employed as the headmaster of St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School between 2016 and 2022 before moving on to Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School. In November 2023, he was suspended from the school, and an internal investigation commenced into financial discrepancies which were subsequently reported to the police.
He resigned in June 2024 before being referred to the TRA a month later. It was revealed in court in August of the same year how Metcalf made six fraudulent payments of £1,800 each, totalling £10,800, from St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School between September 2017 and May 2022. He made three further fraudulent payments of £2,160, £250 and £2,280 from Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School between September 2022 and September 2023 – adding up to a grand total of £15,490.
His offending was discovered when the finance officer at Our Lady’s Bishop Eton noticed an unusual invoice made out to a company called “School Fit” and “J. Neil”. She asked Metcalf about the payment, and he told her it was for “health and safety”.
A report released by the TRA said officials recognised Metcalf was struggling with spiralling debt due to loans and credit cards that he had taken out. He stated that he did not share his problems with anyone which led him to make decisions that he was “deeply ashamed of”.
Neil Metcalf was headmaster of St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School between 2016 and 2022 before moving on to Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School
He explained that taking out “unwise loans” led him to the position of committing fraud in an attempt to “keep his head above water” with the fear of losing his house. However, the panel noted that Mr Metcalf had committed these offences at two schools over a significant period of time.
They described it as a “sophisticated fraud” planned by Metcalf to avoid detection and he would have had many opportunities over that time to make better choices. The panel also took account of references attesting to Metcalf’s record as a teacher.
There was no evidence to suggest that he was acting under extreme duress despite explaining he was deeply ashamed of and regretted what had happened. In a written representation, Metcalf referred to the shame and hurt his conviction had brought,particularly by having been “broadcast over the local press”.
He told officials he had paid the price for his actions, and that any further sanction “would not be necessary”. Metcalf said he knew he would “never be a headteacher again” and “this is of great distress” to him.
He has attempted to move on by starting a career in the rail industry. Metcalf said he was devastated his own actions have stopped him from continuing to create opportunities for children, and that he hopes that one day he may be able to assist in arranging extra-curricular events for children.
He said he had tried to “be so much more than simply a teacher or headteacher throughout [his] career and believed in giving the opportunities to try many new things and excel in different areas”. Despite claiming both schools had been repaid, the panel saw no evidence to confirm that this was the case.
Officials did not consider that Metcalf had demonstrated he had insight into the financial impact on the schools and the resources available for pupils, on the reputation of those schools in the local community and on the profession. The panel considered Metcalf’s representations demonstrated “chagrin” at the personal consequences of his actions rather than an empathetic identification with the perspective of others.
There was no evidence of any steps that Metcalf had taken to obtain professional support to understand why he acted in this manner over a significant period of time and to equip him with strategies to reduce the risk of repetition. Officials said there had also been no indication trust could be placed in him in the future.
As a result, he will not be permitted to teach anywhere in England for an indefinite period. Metcalf can apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until April 2032.
