When TPR asked me about a mystery £1000 transaction that featured on our latest credit card statement, I thought back to the day when one of the students ‘kindly’ offered to use my card to make a minor purchase on my behalf. She must have recorded my card number at the same time.

At breakfast, I approached the supposed culprit and questioned her. Everyone at the table witnessed her confession. It seemed that this was not the first time that she had executed such a theft.

Next I headed off to campus to speak to the tutor responsible for the allocation of students to work placements. We could not let this girl loose on an organisation when we knew that she was dishonest.

In the corridor I spoke to my former colleagues JB, BR and SR. All denied involvement in the placement scheme. The staff in the school office couldn’t help me either.

It would appear that the placements had been organised by a part-time temporary admin who had since left the University, and that it was now too late to alter any of the arrangements. Needless to say, I was furious.