An accountant has admitted defrauding a church of over £200,000 across a timespan of nearly a decade.

Ernest Reddick, a director at CMC Accountants in Dromore, pleaded guilty at Craigavon Crown Court to 12 of 14 charges, including 11 counts of fraud by abuse of position and one count of false accounting.

The offences took place between 2012 and 2021.

The 60-year-old transferred funds from the church’s bank account to his own.

The false accounting charge relates to the destruction, concealment, or falsification of financial records.

Reddick denied applying for a £25,000 loan in the name of the church and that of transferring criminal property related to the same amount.

The Belfast Telegraph which reported on the case said the full facts of the case had not been presented in court but that previously the court had heard the total fraud amounted to £241,000.

Defence counsel Mark Farrell said that while Reddick had denied two offences in relation to the £25,000 loan, “they are the same transaction". He went on to suggest a plea would be offered on the disputed charges.

A case review is expected for March 19th with sentencing will follow.

On it's website Lisburn Baptist Church says it exists to 'worship God and give Him glory in every area of our lives' and has a congregation of approximately 250 people. It was founded in 1926.