A MAN has admitted defrauding nursery schools round the region after repeatedly failing to pay fees for his children.

Daniel Watson was described by a judge as “a confidence trickster” after he admitted seven offences of fraud by false representation at a short hearing at Durham Crown Court.

Appearing via video link from nearby Durham Prison, 32-year-old Watson pleaded ‘guilty’ to all the counts, relating to unpaid fees at nurseries attended by one, or both of his children, across County Durham and on Wearside.

Each charge covered a few months, on dates between August 2009 and July 2012.

The court was told Watson has a previous offence on his record for making false representation for services, dating from December 2010.

Asked by Judge Christopher Prince about that offence, Kate Dodds, prosecuting, said it amounted to £40,000 after he befriended a school teacher, taking out loans and credit card arrangements, posing as a lawyer who was unfairly suspended from work.

He convinced the victim he had the funds to repay him, and even persuaded him to drop him outside a solicitor’s office each day, as if he was going “to work”.

Judge Prince said: “So, he’s a con man, traditionally called a ‘confidence trickster’.”

Asked about the latest offences, Miss Dodds said: “It appears he had no intention to pay the bills, at any of these schools.

“He and his wife presented themselves as people of means and gave information to each nursery as to their financial situation.

“I have not tallied up the total involved, but just with the first two, Clever Clogs and Neasham Day Nursery, it totalled £3,700.

“Some of the figures are slightly smaller than that.

“It seems that he moved from one nursery to another, registering up to two places, and each time when they were confronted there were a whole raft of excuses, before all contact was lost, and they, to all extents, then simply disappeared.”

Miss Dodds said he has only been brought to book for the latest offences after returning to Britain from the Dominican Republic, where his wife is said to remain.

Judge Christopher Prince said he will only pass sentence when the figures are passed on to him as to the total amounts lost by the seven nurseries involved.

He also wants to know if other children were deprived places at the schools, as a result.

Watson, of Ormonde Street, Sunderland, was remanded back to custody, pending sentence on November 14.