A man who stole £24,000 from a Conservative club where he was secretary failed to appear in Court yesterday because he was working as a courier.

Steven Durn, 43, who used his position at Wibsey Conservative Club to filter off money to pay his creditors, was due to be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court.

But Judge James Stewart, QC, was unable to deal with the case because Durn had not been told he should have been in court. He will now be sentenced in the New Year.

A probation report had been prepared to help the judge decide on the sentence for Durn, who had pleaded guilty to nine charges of theft and one of forgery at an earlier hearing before Bradford magistrates.

But prosecutor Mrs Jayne Beckett told the judge: "Durn is in Bristol working as a courier and has not been told he should be here."

Mrs Beckett said the defendant's solicitors said they were unaware of the hearing and had not been informed of it by the court's listings office.

She added that the police officer in the case had contacted the listings office who claimed they had informed the defendant's solicitors.

District Judge David Thomas had sent Durn to the Crown Court because his powers were insufficient.

Mr Thomas had been told how Durn had used the Conservative club's account as his own when he was appointed secretary.

Prosecutor Andrew Davidson said the offences were a breach of trust, involving £24,262.

Mr Davidson told how Durn, of Ascot Drive, Horton Bank Top, Bradford, was in financial difficulties due to the collapse of his business and he used the money to make payments to creditors.

The offences came to light when officials examined records and relevant computer records were found to have been erased.

Club chairman Ron Warren said the money Durn was stealing was meant to pay bills and the club went into receivership. It was only saved from going out of business when the brewery agreed to loan £71,000 to pay off its debts. But he admitted that by the time the loan was paid off some of the older members would be dead.