A SOLICITOR has appeared before magistrates in Chester accused of a string of thefts.

Robert Holmes, aged 62, of Willaston Hall West, Hall Drive, Willaston, is charged with stealing cash totalling more than £105,000 from various sources.

He is also charged, at Stoke-on-Trent, of making a material admission to the Official Receiver on November 1997.

He is accused of Stealing £45,878 from Rigby, Stringer and Holmes, between January 1991 and February 1996.

Holmes is also charged with the theft of £6,000, £1,490 and £5,896 from Threadgold and Copeland and their clients.

He faces charges of thefts from Bertha Griffiths totalling £24,448 and Stapeley Water Gardens of £17,277.

The final two allegations relate to the theft of £9,750 from William and Violet Fox and stealing £33,981 from Brenda Bates.

Defence solicitor Mark Hadfield successfully applied for a further adjournment of the case to fully consider prosecution papers.

Holmes was released on bail until November 26 on condition he does not apply for foreign travel documents. He has already surrendered his passport to the court.

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