John Musisi Kaduwanema, 27, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to ten counts of theft from Birmingham City Council, where he had worked as a finance manager for social care and health finance.

He appeared in court via video-link and spoke only to confirm his name and enter the guilty pleas to each individual charge of dishonestly obtaining money transfers by deception between May 2005 and February this year.

The individual transfers ranged from £6,000 in May 2005 to £285,000 in February this year.

Defence counsel Robert Cowley, who told the court that the thefts were Kaduwanema's first offence, also asked for a further 14 offences to be taken into consideration.

He added that realisable assets worth £989,255.70 had been identified in order to compensate for the money taken.

Kaduwanema, who has a Ugandan passport, will now be sentenced the week commencing July 10th..