A GOVERNMENT department is looking “with extreme concern” at a Wealdstone college whose principal is facing jail for fraud.

Dr Roselle Antoine MBE, 54, was found guilty of handing out worthless qualifications to students at the TCS College who had forked out up to £1,350 in annual fees.

But despite facing multiple charges of fraud and immigration breaches, Antoine continued to run the Palmerston Road college for several years.

Following the verdict, delivered by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, March 25, the Department for Children, Schools and Families is now looking into what has been happening in the college.

Farooq Mulla, spokesman for the department, said: “We are extremely concerned about the issues arising from the court case relating to the principal of TCS College Harrow.

“Where there is evidence that school may not be meeting the statutory standards we may commission a short or no notice inspection by Ofsted.

“We will consider our actions in due course.”

Harrow Council had called for Ofsted to urgently inspect the college, but the watchdog said it can only inspect independent schools at the behest of the government department.

Ofsted inspectors could now be ordered into the college with little or no notice to see if there are any problems with the way courses are being run.

Antoine, who was given an MBE in 2006 for “services to educational and community development”, was once hailed as a “wonder woman” on ITV's This Morning.

However, the court found between 2001 and 2007 she lured unsuspecting foreign nationals to the college with the promise of nationally-recognised NVQs.

She offered to help them complete student visa forms despite not being qualified to do so, and was providing courses which were not recognised.

The principal is due to be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on April 30.