Former nursery operator convicted following Brent Council fraud investigation

Pauline El – Amrati, a former nursery operator has been convicted following a fraud investigation led by Brent Council's Counter Fraud and Investigations Team.

A former owner and principal of The Gladstone Centre Nursery Ltd in Cricklewood, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering offences after falsely claiming Nursery Education Grant funding for children who were not attending the nursery.

The investigation began in October 2022 after concerns were raised by Brent Council's Early Years Team regarding unusually high attendance figures submitted by the nursery in support of funding claims.

When the claims were scrutinised, information received from a member of staff suggested funding was being claimed for children who were not attending the setting. Shortly afterwards, the nursery ceased trading unexpectedly, leaving families without childcare provision and creating a potential financial loss for the council.

A detailed investigation by Brent Council's Counter Fraud and Investigations Team, supported by the Financial Investigations Team, Early Years Funding Team, Legal Services, Shared Technology Service and the Metropolitan Police, uncovered evidence that attendance figures had been deliberately inflated.

Financial enquiries identified significant transfers of money linked to the fraud, while digital and witness evidence helped establish the full extent of the offending.

The investigation found that fraudulent funding claims caused a loss of £92,303.64 to public funds.

Councillor Gwen Grahl, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources said:

"Parents rightly expect childcare funding to be used to support local children and families, not abused for personal gain. This case involved a significant fraud against the public purse and a serious breach of trust that affected both the council and families who depended on this nursery.

"I would like to thank the officers across our Counter Fraud, Financial Investigations, Early Years, Legal and Shared Technology teams, alongside the Metropolitan Police, whose professionalism and persistence helped secure this conviction. Brent Council will continue to take robust action against anyone who seeks to defraud public services and divert money away from the residents who rely on them."

Legal Services prosecuted the defendant who pleaded guilty on 6 July 2026 to fraud by false representation and two money laundering offences relating to transfers of £29,000 and £20,000 to family members.

At court, the judge described the offending as a serious breach of trust and assessed culpability at the highest level. The court also highlighted the impact on affected families, children's education and the loss of public money.

The defendant was sentenced to 31 months' imprisonment on each offence, to run concurrently, suspended for two years. The court made clear that this remained a custodial sentence and that immediate imprisonment was only narrowly avoided due to significant personal mitigation. The defendant must also complete a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement within 12 months.