Northants employee admits stealing

Northamptonshire CCC's former financial administrator has admitted stealing around £82,000 from the club over a two-year period.

Susan Woodward, 54, appeared before Northampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday, and pleaded guilty to 19 offences of theft. Woodward, who had worked at the club for seven years until the end of 2003, asked for a further 58 offences to be taken into consideration. All of the charges were brought under the Theft Act 1968.

During a three-minute hearing, the court heard that Woodward had stolen different amounts of money, which ranged from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, by signing and cashing cheques.

In February, Fraud Squad detectives from Northamptonshire Police were called in to investigate alleged financial problems after irregularities were found in Northamptonshire's annual accounts.

Simon Lambert, the presiding magistrate, instructed that the case would be committed to Northampton Crown Court for sentencing by a judge, owing to the seriousness of the offences. Woodward, who was granted unconditional bail, will appear at the Crown Court next month.