A FORMER sports secretary of a social club accused of stealing thousands of pounds yesterday told a court: "I am not a thief".
Terence Sturman banged his hand against the witness box at Teesside Crown Court as he stated his innocence.
Mr Sturman, 68, denies 12 counts of theft, between March 1997 and May 1999.
The court previously heard that the pensioner was sports secretary of the Western Social Club, in Union Street, Middlesbrough, from about 1992 to 1999. It was his responsibility to collect money from all the club's entertainment events, including its 18 weekly bingo sessions.
The prosecution claims that when he was ill, in May 1999, his replacement found discrepancies between the amounts recorded by the assistant sports secretary and those declared by Mr Sturman.
Geoff Hunter, defending, put it to Mr Sturman that he was accused of stealing "many thousands" of pounds. Mr Sturman replied "Not true sir" and said: "I can not stress this enough. I am not a thief."
The trial continues
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