A MANAGER at an Ipswich milk depot where a milkman is accused of theft, denied today that he had been dishonest in his handling of the affair.Barrister Richard Potts, who is representing 36-year-old Stephen Lewis who has denied stealing £997 from Dairy Crest, suggested to Dairy Crest manager Michael Warrick that he had covered up the involvement of the real thief and that Lewis was being used as a scapegoat.

A MANAGER at an Ipswich milk depot where a milkman is accused of theft, denied today that he had been dishonest in his handling of the affair.

Barrister Richard Potts, who is representing 36-year-old Stephen Lewis who has denied stealing £997 from Dairy Crest, suggested to Dairy Crest manager Michael Warrick that he had covered up the involvement of the real thief and that Lewis was being used as a scapegoat.

"I suggest that you have thought to cover up the involvement of somebody in this case – I can't suggest who – someone who has stolen that money which was handed over to you by Mrs Lewis," said Mr Potts.

Mr Warrick, who has worked as a Dairy Crest manager for 11 years denied the suggestion and said that all the money he had been given had been handed over to Dairy Crest.

Mr Warrick said he had gone round to Lewis' house after he stopped working for the company to collect money and documents. He had seen Mrs Lewis and had been handed a bag. He had not counted the money on the doorstep because it was dark and there had been a child crying and a dog barking in the background.

He had counted the money when he got home and again when he went back to the depot.

He denied that the missing £997 was in the bag he had been given by Mrs Lewis.

It has been alleged that Lewis pocketed £997 he had collected from customers and shortly afterwards stopped working for Dairy Crest.

Lewis told police that the missing money had been in a bag with other money and documents that had been handed to Mr Warrick by his wife.

The trial continues.