AN Ipswich post office manager is today facing charges of theft and false accounting at the branch he runs.

AN Ipswich post office manager is today facing charges of theft and false accounting at the branch he runs.

Barry Capon is accused of stealing �24,377.31 from Heath Road post office over a period of nearly six years.

As part of a prosecution brought by Post Office Ltd, Capon is charged with theft by employee between April 1, 2003 and January 8, 2009.

Capon is also accused of fiddling the books at the premises, which are located at the junction of Heath Road and Foxhall Road.

A total of four charges of false accounting have been brought against him.

Two of the accusations relate to allegations 'on or about' September 17 last year. A third count alleges an offence took place on November 19 last year, while the remaining charge was said to have taken place on December 17.

The wording of the charges states the four false accounting accusations were for falsifying the final branch trading account for Heath Road post office for the relevant dates by making entries purporting to show the amount of cash in hand was greater than the true figure.

Capon, of Century Drive, Grange Farm, Kesgrave, appeared before South East Magistrates Court in Ipswich for the first hearing of his case on Monday.

No pleas to the charges have been entered at this stage.

Magistrates adjourned the case until August 3.

Capon was released on bail and must return to the same court on that date.

During his next appearance, Capon's case is scheduled to be committed to Ipswich Crown Court.

Capon declined to make any comment when approached in relation to the accusations.