THE husband of a former rail company accounts manager denied having anything to do with alleged fraud committed by his wife, a court heard.

Corina Elaine Heslop is accused of paying eight British American Railway Services (Bars) cheques, for sums totalling £36,781, into her own account, during 2009.

She is said to have altered invoices and other records to make it appear the money was paid to suppliers of the company, which runs the Weardale Railway, in County Durham.

The Crown Prosecution Service alleges that shortly after leaving the job, Mrs Heslop or her husband, James Raymond Heslop, entered Bars offices, alongside Stanhope Rail Station, in County Durham, late at night over Easter 2010.

Durham Crown Court has heard that the computer server and back-up files were damaged, wiping data.

Nadim Bashir, prosecuting, said cars, similar to the Heslops’ vehicles, were seen in Stanhope by a local taxi driver at about the times the offices were entered.

Mrs Heslop is also said to have sent work documents to her husband’s domestic email account, although she said this was because she did a lot of work at home in the evening.

The jury in the couple’s trial heard that Mrs Heslop admits paying cheques into her own account, but she said it was to reimburse herself for payments made to company suppliers from her own funds.

She also admitted having been in Stanhope over the Easter weekend, but denied entering the offices.

The court was told that during two of his three police interviews, Mr Heslop issued statements through his legal representative, but refused to answer questions.

In one interview, he said he visited Stanhope twice over that weekend, but never entered the railway station or the attached portable buildings as a trespasser.

He subsequently stated he had never defrauded the railway company or been aware of any fraudulent activity on his account, but made no reply to questions in a third interview.

Under cross-examination by Mr Heslop’s barrister, Scott Smith, the officer leading the police inquiry, Detective Constable Dave Rooney, yesterday said the taxi driver in Stanhope reported seeing a Citroen Xsara Picasso, whereas, at the time, Mr Heslop drove a Ford Mondeo.

Mrs Heslop, 42, denies eight counts of fraud.

She and her 45-year-old husband, both of Rookhope Grove, Bishop Auckland, each also deny criminal damage and possessing articles to assist in fraud.

The trial resumes on Thursday.