The gay former principal of Huntly West Primary School has been jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to fraud and theft. Barry Bloomfield, 56, described as "arrogant, selfish and greedy" by Judge Robert Spear in Hamilton District Court, had collected payments for a relief teacher who never existed, and sold the fence around the school's swimming pool for $4,600 on TradeMe - but told his colleagues it had gone for only $80. In court he claimed he was harassed by the school's board for being gay. He was called a "poofter" and locked himself in his office because he was scared, he said. The chairman of the Board of Trustees dismissed the claims, saying he did not know Bloomfield was gay.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Sunday, 25th October 2009 - 3:30pm