Judge Clive Jefferys was hearing the appeal of Carol Cassells on Wednesday, for which she had previously been sentenced to at least 12-months behind bars for stealing more than $35,000 from the school.

Defence solicitor Elizabeth Stahlut indicated the appeal of the severity of the sentence would take “no more than half an hour”.

An hour-and-a-half into the matter, Judge Jefferys adjourned as he still had a number of cases to hear and Cassells needed to catch a plane back to the jail in Kempsy.

He told Ms Stahlut he had asked to read the papers of the case over the lunch break, which hadn’t been forthcoming as there was no agreement on the facts.

“This really isn’t helpful,” Judge Jefferys said. “I am not inclined to do things on the run.”

He adjourned the case to September 3, telling Ms Stahlut he wanted her there on time and prepared.

The court heard Cassells had scammed the high school during her time as its finance manager, writing 14 cheques to herself worth $26,509 between November 2011 and February 2012.

She also was found to have made fraudulent overtime claims worth more than $9000 between October 2010 and February 2012.

Cassells had been sentenced to 29 counts of gaining financial advantage by deception, and pleaded not guilty to 18 counts. She has been in custody since June 6.

The defendent had been seeking to have her convictions overturned, however, Ms Stahlut indicted during the morning her client wished to withdraw that application.

The defence also maintained Cassells wasn’t in a position to pay reparations to the school as she was in debt, but Crown prosecutor Edward Freelander said there was no evidence of that. 

“It is a grave breach of trust … she shows no sign of remorse or taking steps to pay the money back,” he said.

Mr Freelander said.

 “We don’t know what her current financial situation is. The fact of the matter is this was precious public money from a public school.”