A TOP judge has given a Wokingham man more time to pay back the £22,000 he stole from a local church before he is sentenced.

Nicolas Bornman-Hill, of Harrow Way, Sindlesham in Wokingham, defrauded Wokingham Methodist Church of £22,153.61 between August 2013 and December 2017.

The 50-year-old, who was employed as the Church’s treasurer, was able to take the money using two different methods.

In 2014, he forged the signature of a trustee in order to deposit a cheque worth £9,200 from the church’s bank account into his own.

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And on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2017, Bornman-Hill stole collection money totalling £12,953.61 which had been donated to the church.

The Wokingham man was set to learn his fate for two counts of fraud by abuse of position at Reading Crown Court yesterday, but his sentencing was pushed back by Judge Emma Norton.

This came after defence counsel Alan Walker said Bornman-Hill had “many sleepless nights” in the run-up to his sentencing and that he was aiming to pay back the money within 30 days.

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Mr Walker claimed his client was in discussions with his bank to work out a way to retrieve the cash.

Upon hearing this, Judge Norton adjourned the 50-year-old’s sentencing to June 7.

Addressing Bornman-Hill, she said: “I do take abuse of trust very seriously.

“You understand why I am not sentencing you today.

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“I want to see how genuine and realistic affirmation you can pay the money back in 30 days is.

“If you pay it back in 30 days I’m not going to have to make a confiscation order.

“It will also save you time and the risk of a further punitive sentence hanging over your head.”

Bornman-Hill appeared at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, May 4.

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