A former Suffolk property management firm director is facing a likely jail term after admitting stealing around £70,000 from his customers.

Roy Jackson ran Suffolk Lettings in St Peter’s Street in Ipswich, and went missing for around 18 months after dozens of landlords failed to be given the cash they were owed.

The 39-year-old, formerly of Goodwood Close, Ipswich, was finally tracked down at Stansted Airport. Jackson – who is on the court list as Royston Jackson – was arrested at the Essex airport on September 29.

It is understood he had been due to take an outbound flight to Ibiza.

At the time of Jackson’s arrest he had found employment as a lettings manager at an estate agency in Finchley, north London.

After being charged with fraud he was remanded in custody and made his first appearance before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court. The case was committed to Ipswich Crown Court where Jackson pleaded guilty at his first hearing to one count of fraud by false representation.

He is currently remanded in custody.

Jackson’s sentencing is due to take place some time in the next three weeks.

The fraud took place between January 1, 2011, and January 30, 2013.

Jackson, of Lanchester Road, north London, had been a well-known businessman and Rotarian in Ipswich.

Detectives first began hunting for Jackson after his letting and management company closed suddenly around December 2012.

The inquiry came after complaints from landlords in and around Ipswich and the Woodbridge area that money they were due had not been paid and Jackson could not be contacted.

As more and more property owners came forward it became apparent a major fraud had taken place conning landlords, clients and tenants.

Despite officers following up leads Jackson remained at large.

By April this year Suffolk police said around 30 landlords, some with more than one property, had reported they had not received the money owing to them.

The investigation encompassed 48 properties.