A FORMER council chief conned his bosses out of more than £200,000 by setting up two bogus organisations.

David Archer spent six years placing orders with the two firms before Chelmsford Council found out what was going on.

He admitted charges of fraud and deception when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday and was remanded in custody.

Archer, 56, had been due to face trial but failed to turn up in court on Monday, October 20.

He was tracked down to his partner's home in Derbyshire and arrested and brought to court.

After talks with his legal team, he entered guilty pleas. He will be sentenced later.

Judge Christopher Ball QC took the unusual step of calling the 20-strong jury panel selected for the trial into court to explain the position.

The judge thanked them for their patience and said it has been a "frustrating time" for all those involved in the case.

Archer, formerly from Cheviot Drive, Chelmsford, but now living in Queen Street, Ironville, Derbyshire, admitted obtaining a £75,985 money order by deception and another charge of fraud.

This involved claiming £156,470 for work and services provided by the two bogus organisations set up by Archer - the Essex Play Council and Chelmsford and Maldon Gold Plus.

The charges covered a time between June 2004 and September 2009.

Archer's barrister, Christopher Paxton, asked for sentence to be deferred while Archer sorts out care for his partner.

Judge Ball said he wanted a report on her planned care by Friday when the case will return to court.

Mr Paxton asked for bail but Judge Ball refused saying he did not want a possible repeat of the "pantomime" of Archer's non attendance.