How a Teacher Scammed Asda for £3,000 and Stayed Employed

A Northumberland teacher, Kirstie Reynolds, scammed supermarket giant Asda out of nearly £3,000 worth of goods by exploiting a self-checkout discount glitch between February and March 2023. Using the fault in the system, she managed to buy large quantities of items for as little as a penny each.

Reynolds later admitted to fraud in court and was ordered to repay the money, but despite her conviction, she has been allowed to keep her teaching post. The decision has sparked debate, with critics questioning professional accountability, while regulators have argued her continued role in education served the public interest.

The Discount Glitch and the Scam

Reynolds carried out the scam by using a discount code error on Asda's self-checkout machines that reduced certain items to just 1p. She made two separate trips, purchasing goods valued at £1,700 ($2,200) from one store and around £1,030 ($1390) from another.

According to the Daily Mail, the activity took place between 25 February and 30 March 2023, allowing her to take home products worth close to £3,000 ($4,000) at a fraction of the price. The glitch, which centred around promotional discounts linked to food items such as rotisserie chicken, allowed multiple products to be scanned for pennies instead of their retail value.

The Court Case and Sentencing

In June 2023, Reynolds appeared at South Shields Magistrates' Court, where she admitted guilt to fraud by false representation. The court heard how she knowingly exploited the discount loophole on several occasions.

The magistrates issued the following sentence:

12-month community order
£400 ($540) fine
£3,000 ($4,000) compensation to Asda
£160 ($215) victim surcharge
£85 ($115) in prosecution costs

Although the financial penalty ensured Asda was compensated, the conviction highlighted the seriousness of her actions. The case also drew attention to the ease with which supermarket self-checkout systems can be manipulated.

Teacher Regulation Agency Review

Following the court ruling, the case was referred to the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) for review. Disciplinary proceedings examined whether Reynolds should be struck off the teaching register due to her fraud conviction.

The TRA panel ultimately decided that Reynolds should be allowed to continue working as a teacher. They cited several factors in their ruling:

She expressed remorse for her actions and took accountability.
She has since gained valuable experience working in Early Years Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) education.
She was invited to join a local authority SEND steering group, reflecting her professional contribution.

As reported by GB News, the panel stated that removing her from the profession would not serve the public interest. They concluded that Reynolds could continue to make a positive impact on students and communities, and that the publication of their findings would be sufficient to uphold standards.

'While the misconduct found in this case was undoubtedly serious, and is likely to damage the reputation of the profession, I do not think that preventing Ms Reynolds from working as a teacher would serve any useful purpose,' wrote Marc Cavey, author of Ms Reynolds' report on behalf of the Secretary of State.

'I consider therefore that the publication of the findings made would be sufficient to send an appropriate message to the teacher as to the standards of behaviour that were not acceptable and that the publication would meet the public interest requirement of declaring proper standards of the profession,' he added.