A FRAUDULENT Major General has been jailed for falsely claiming £48,000 in allowances to pay for his children’s boarding fees.

Major General Nick Welch, who is also the chief operating officer of Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), was jailed at Bulford Military Court on Friday.

The two-star general was convicted of fraud by a panel of senior officers following a four week court martial trial at the same court.

Judge Advocate General Alan Large sentenced Welch, who left the army in 2018, to 21 months in prison, and retrospectively dismissed him from the army meaning he can no longer benefit from his rank of retired major general.

He has also now "left his role" at AUB, "with immediate effect".

An AUB spokesperson said: "Following a guilty verdict in court proceedings against Nick Welch that predate his employment at Arts University Bournemouth, the university can confirm that Mr Welch has left his role as AUB Chief Operating Officer with immediate effect.”

The court heard how the 57-year-old applied for the allowance on the basis that he and his wife Charlotte would not be living close to their children’s Dorset schools.

It was claimed that the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) allowed their children to stay at £37,000-a-year Clayesmore School and £22,500-a-year Hanford School between December 2015 and February 2017.

The payment covers 90 per cent of fees and is aimed at allowing children of service personnel to remain at the same schools to enable their serving parent to be accompanied by their spouse as they are posted to different locations.

However, Mrs Welch, 54, spent most of her time at their cottage in Blandford Forum, the prosecution said.

The investigation was launched in February 2017 after a neighbour alerted authorities about the Welch family’s absence from the London home.

Welch had denied being dishonest and said he believed he had complied with the requirements of accompanied service because his wife was living with him for the majority of the time.

He was found guilty on Thursday.

After sentencing, Judge Large said: "A disciplined organisation such as the Army relies on those in rank and authority to set an example and to be beyond reproach.

“The higher your rank, the more important it is that you uphold the values and standards of the Army in which you serve and when an officer of the rank of major general offends as you have, the potential to erode discipline and undermine morale is considerable.

“We have no doubt you understand that your rank of major general and role as the assistant chief of general staff are factors which aggravate the offence and require recognition in the sentence.”

Welch was also ordered to repay the money fraudulently claimed.