A former worker for Bradford Racial Equality Council has pleaded guilty to stealing more than £9,000.

Saleem Sharif, 37, of Ramsden Road, Rotherham, admitted seven counts of theft from the Equality Council, totalling £6,550, and from another company, Copyform, totalling £2,800.

Sharif was formerly a project manager for Bradford Alliance Against Racial Harassment, a subsidiary of Bradford Racial Equality Council.

Sharif's mother-in-law, Mary Cooke, of Cowhill Lane, Ashton-Under-Lyne, pleaded not guilty to five counts of theft and the case against her was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service and ordered to lie on file.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the thefts were committed between March and December 1998 and ranged from £250 to £3,900. The court was also told that Sharif had a previous conviction for stealing from his employer, for which he had been sentenced to community service.

Judge Charlesworth adjourned sentencing until July 16 for reports. Sharif was granted conditional bail.

Sharif's arrest and subsequent charging followed an 18-month investigation into financial irregularities at Bradford's REC. The regional fraud squad investigated after the race watchdog's collapse and auditors swooped on the offices in March 1999. The investigation followed a complaint to police.

The REC offices were based in Oak Avenue, Manningham, and employed 17 people who dealt with race harassment and discrimination cases, immigration queries and racial awareness work in schools and with employers.

The organisation later closed down after funding from the National Lottery, Bradford Council and the national Commission for Racial Equality was withdrawn due to a lack of confidence in the administration.