A FORMER council officer who is accused of stealing nearly £400,000 of taxpayers' money is to stand trial in the summer.
David Archer, 54, of Cheviot Drive, Chelmsford, pleaded not guilty to four charges at Chelmsford Crown Court last Monday, and was released on bail ahead of a predicted week-long trial beginning on June 4.
He is accused of obtaining a money transfer of £75,985 by deception from Chelmsford Borough Council between June 2004 and June 2007 – falsely claiming that valid work had been carried out by Essex Play Council when it had not.
He is further charged with fraud between June 2007 and September 2010 by falsely representing that work to the sum of £156,469 had been carried out on behalf of Chelmsford Borough Council by Essex Play Council when it had not.
Mr Archer is also accused of a second fraud offence, of failing to disclose to his employer, Chelmsford Borough Council, between January 2007 and September 2010, information that he was legally obliged to disclose, that he was a trustee of Essex Association of Youth Clubs and an account holder and signatory for Essex Play Council, with the intention of making a gain for himself.
The last charge was that he stole an account balance of £165,548 belonging to Chelmsford Borough Council between June 2004 and September 2010.
Judge Rodger Hayward Smith QC further remanded Archer on bail until his trial.
The court heard that it was an alleged fraud over many years by a trusted council employee and involved about 50 payments.
Archer joined Chelmsford Borough Council in 1989 on a short-term contract to manage summer play activities, before becoming the Play and Young People's Services officer, serving a total of 20 years at the authority.
Since taking his leave of the council in September 2010, Archer has started up his own company, offering outdoor and free play activities for children and young people, called Mucky Hands.
On his website, which is no longer working, he said: "I have now left the Borough Council to concentrate on my key skills – and passion – of providing outdoor and 'free play' activities for children and young people."
