A solicitor has admitted plundering more than £700,000 from the estates of 19 dead clients over 26 years.

John Ingham, 50, pleaded guilty to 19 counts of theft at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

Ingham was struck off by the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal in London last month, after he admitted withdrawing money from the estates.

The list of charges read out yesterday to Ingham, a partner in the former law firm, Barratt Chamberlain, which had offices in Manor Square, Otley, and The Grove, Ilkley, covered the period 1977 to 2003.

One charge concerned an unknown amount, but the court also heard that Ingham stole amounts of cash from estates ranging from £5,559 to £218,444.

Many of the thefts occurred over a period of several years.

David Dixon, prosecuting, told the court Ingham, who lives in Wetherby, stole a net total of £703,000. He said £902,000 had been repaid in total.

Ingham spoke only to confirm his name and to enter guilty pleas to each of the 19 charges as they were read out in court during yesterday's 20-minute hearing. The case was adjourned so a pre-sentence report could be prepared.

Ingham will be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court later this month.

His unconditional bail was extended until then.

Last month's hearing was described as one of the worst cases of dishonesty to have come before the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal in recent years.