The financial director of a top estate agents accu

The financial director of a top estate agents accused of stealing
thousands from his firm to pay for his lavish lifestyle denied
‘screwing the company for every penny’.

Giving evidence Keith Foster, 43, said scores of expenses on an
Access account which was paid for by his Romford based company Hilbery
Chaplin were ‘justified and authorised’ by the senior partner.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court Foster and secretary Susan Datson, 33,
are alleged to have stolen some pnds stlg 200,000 from Hilbery
Chaplin.

Foster, of Hope Cottages, Hall Lane, South Ockenden, Essex, and
Datson, of Mygrove Road, Rainham, Essex, both deny conspiracy to
defraud the firm, as well as other charges of theft, forgery, false
accounting, and obtaining property by deception.

The jury had been shown a long list of transactions on an Access
account under Datson’s name – but relating to the pair.

They included holidays in America, Australia, Spain and Italy
with weekend stays in Amsterdam and Paris.

Mr Michael Lawson, QC, had said that the card was ‘used
extensively for hotels, restaurants, male and female clothing, for
shoes and for groceries.

‘
In cross examination, Foster was asked by Mr Lawson about trips
abroad.

Foster said that everything on the Access account was
‘expenditure approved’ by the senior partner Sir Malcolm Hilbery
Chaplin although he used ‘discretion’ when he used the account.

‘It was justified and authorised,’ added Foster.

He said that Sir Malcolm knew when he went abroad and what
expense was involved.

‘Every time I went out of the country he was aware he was paying.

He always knew where I was when I was out of the country.

‘
But Foster denied that the ‘agreement’ with Sir Malcolm was ever
a ‘carte blanche situation.

‘
‘I did not screw the company for every penny.

He (Sir Malcolm)
was always generous to me.

I don’t think I ever took advantage of
him.

‘
Foster told the jury that he would not need authorisation for
‘every piece of expenditure.

‘
Foster said that Datson – who he had at one stage had an affair
with – was also authorised to accompany him on some of the foreign
trips.

He was asked by Mr Lawson about visits to off-licences and
restaurants.

Foster explained that a good deal of expenditure
would go on the ‘entertaining of clients.

‘
Mr Lawson argued that Sir Malcolm had no knowledge of the extent
to which Foster was entertaining.

Foster replied: ‘I disagree, he knew I was entertaining.

Entertaining was a prime consideration.

‘
Foster told the court how in the last ten years he had helped to
promote the name of Hilbery Chaplin which in that time had
significantly increased its annual turnover.

He said that Sir Malcolm accepted the hard work he had put into
the firm and as a result his ‘bonuses’ – often through the Access
account – had increased during his years of service.

The Crown claim that Foster and Datson would use forged company
cheques to pay the Access account from which they would ‘lavishly
spend.

‘
It is alleged that Foster also dishonestly claimed for cash from
the firm’s petty cash system.

Another area of the alleged fraud involved Foster’s manipulation
of Hilbery Chaplin’s computer salary payment system for which he was
solely responsible.

And another category allegedly involved Foster claiming back
for himself sizeable discounts offered by companies including Laidlaw’s
who provided Hilbery Chaplin with cars.

The trial continues on Monday.

ENDS