A HEADTEACHER who had his BMW car burned out in an insurance scam has been spared a prison sentence but his reputation and career lie in tatters, a court was told yesterday.

Alan Bromley, 45, who has been suspended from his post as headteacher at Wheatley Hill Primary School, in County Durham, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Passing sentence at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge John Evans said: "I know that you continue to deny any wrong doing, but the jury concluded that, for reasons of your own, you have arranged to have your vehicle uplifted and burned out.

"Whatever the intentions or reasons for embarking on the enterprise, as your defence pointed out, it spectacularly backfire.

"The result of this is your reputation is in tatters and I expect your career is in tatters."

He added: "It is a matter of considerable sadness for someone to get to the age of 46 without ever coming to the attention of the police.

"Far from it, you have contributed an enormous amount to the community - all of that thrown away . . . thrown down the drain."

At an earlier hearing at Durham Crown Court, a jury was told Bromley was arrested after making a fraudulent claim to the Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company.

Bromley parked his car outside the village workingmen's club, where some of his pupils were performing in a community carol concert, on December 2, 2009.

He said, he left the function with the deputy head - his partner Joanne Nugent - in her car as he had a few drinks. The BMW was later found alight near Bishop Middleham.

A four-year lease agreement stipulated Bromley had to pay 4.03p per mile surcharge, if he exceeded 6,000 miles a year in the car - but a computer chip in the keys showed he had completed more than 50,000 on the night it was found.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said Bromley's crime amounted to an attempted fraud, as the insurance company had not paid out. And Bromley had made financial arrangements to pay 11,500 owed to BMW finance. Bromley, of Low Knitsley Farm Cottaged, near Consett, who denied fraud, was ordered to pay £2,000 costs.

Dave Ford, Durham County Council's head of achievement services, said: "Governors were made aware of Mr Bromley's conviction but have not yet met to consider his position.

"Upon receipt of a report from the police, and with support from our corporate employee relations team, the matters will be put to Mr Bromley using agreed procedures, before a meeting of the governors can be arranged to consider his position.

"The council continues to support the school during this difficult time."