THE principal of a Bradford flagship school, who is accused of fraud, was described as arrogant and chaotic by a Government department official.

Department for Education project leader Lindsey Henning told Leeds Crown Court today that Sajid Hussain Raza, founder of Kings Science Academy, had access to Government Ministers, including then-Education Secretary, Michael Gove.

Raza, 43, his sister Shabana Hussain, 40, a teacher at the school, and the academy’s financial director, Daud Khan, 44, are accused of fraudulently obtaining around £150,000 from Government grants to help set up the free school.

Raza applied for a 500-place secondary school to open in September 2011. Grants were given by DfE to cover the costs of setting up the school.

The prosecution alleges that Raza and Hussain made a series of payments into their personal bank accounts from the grants.

Khan did not receive any payments but it is alleged the offences could not have happened without his “dishonesty and participation.”

Miss Henning said Raza’s approach to managing the project was chaotic and “felt disorganised and lacked focus.” At the time of setting up the school, she raised concerns, but there was no suggestion of fraud.

Questioned by Khan’s barrister, Nick Worsley, about her dealings with Raza, Miss Henning said her job was difficult to do.

She told the jury: “I felt that a lot of the things I was requesting were dismissed. I felt that at times the advice I was offering was ignored, which did suggest a degree of arrogance on behalf of Mr Raza.”

She agreed he had connections to Mr Gove and said: “I don’t recall he (Raza) said that overtly to me, but I was aware that was always a route.”

The court heard the project was high visibility in terms of public interest and there were numerous photo opportunities within the school, involving Prime Minister David Cameron and Mr Gove.

The jury was told Conservative Party vice chairman Alan Lewis was a notable person involved with the school.

Miss Henning said the initial application stated Mr Lewis had a significant role in the school. The court heard he was later described as the chairman of governors.

Miss Henning agreed with Mr Worsley that when Daud Khan was appointed in May there was no accounting system in place. He had made an emotional call to her in September 2011.

Miss Henning said: “He seemed more worried with the practices that were happening, the inability for him to know what was going on, the way money was being spent and allocated without his agreement.”

Raza, of Spring Gardens Road, Heaton, pleads not guilty to four charges of fraud, three of false accounting and two of obtaining money by deception. Hussain, of Wilmer Road, Heaton, denies one count of fraud and one of obtaining property by deception. Khan, of Thornhill Place, Thornbury, denies two counts of fraud and three of false accounting.

The trial continues.