A Town councillor used nearly £9,000 of tax-payers' cash to settle his debts, a court heard.David Hart stole two cheques from Bradley Stoke Town Council while he was chairman of the finance committee.

The 44-year-old Tory paid one - for £8,950 - into his own bank account after forging a fellow councillor's signature. He then tried to pay himself another £7,000 using the second cheque but it did not clear, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Hart, of Whitley Mead, Stoke Gifford, yesterday pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, two counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception and two counts of making a false instrument.

He avoided a prison sentence despite the court hearing that he had a previous forgery conviction dating from before he was co-opted onto the council.

CONTINUED..........


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