Crippling debts tempted a law clerk into siphoning more than £8,000 from his bosses, a court was told.

Paul Lamparter, 33, a conveyance executive with Basildon law firm Nossel, Martin and Co, pocketed cheques from clients to pay off debts after his Wickford home was repossessed.

However, guilt got the better of him and he came clean to his bosses in a Basildon pub, Basildon Magistrates Court was told. He has since been sacked by the firm.

Lamparter, of Witchards, Basildon, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. He will be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court at a later date.

The court was told the clerk was involved in buying and selling homes and handled cheques worth thousands of pounds.

However, he began cashing the cheques himself over a two-year period beginning in 1996.

Prab Virdi, prosecuting, said: "People would go to him with cheques for people buying and selling houses. Various cheques would go through his hands which were stolen by him."

He eventually came clean in January after meeting his boss, Martin Nossel, at the Haywain pub at the Five Bells roundabout.

Lamparter claimed massive debts had forced him to steal but denied drugs were involved.

Miss Virdi said: "He telephoned Mr Nossel with a list of names he had in his hands. They agreed to meet where Lamparter apologised profusely and said if it took him 20 years to work to make up the money he would do so.

"He said the theft was nothing to do with drugs but the financial pressure of an £11,000 debt.

"His home in Wickford had been repossessed and he was thinking of instituting bankruptcy procedures."

Lampartar was released on unconditional bail by magistrates.

Speaking after the court case, Mr Nossel said: "Mr Lamparter admitted he stole the money. He was dismissed straight away and we reported the matter to the police. None of our clients lost any money."

The case is now being investigated by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.

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