The four-week trial of an accountant accused of fraud and thefts totalling £2m folded dramatically today on its second day.
After pleading not guilty yesterday at Chelmsford Crown Court to 54 charges Adam Kenneth Woricker, 41, of Chelmsford today changed his plea.
He admitted 32 charges involving theft of £2m. As a result the remaining 22 fraud charges will remain on the court file.
Woricker, who is an ACA and member of the ICAEW, was a partner at accountancy firm Fisher Phillips in North London.
He left his firm after the fraud came to light at the end of June 2012.
The judge will hand down sentencing tomorrow (Thursday).
But he has already been warned by judge David Turner QC who will sentence him tomorrow to expect ‘a pretty significant prison sentence’.
The court was told yesterday that Woricker’s victims included his own clients, a group of churches and high profile writer and film maker, Hanif Kurieishi. He had stolen various amounts after approaching clients of Fisher Phillips where he was a partner.
Today he pleaded guilty to 29 theft charges, two forgeries and one of using a false instrument. His counsel, James Keogh told the court in relation to Woricker’s sudden change of plea that he had been ‘hit by a tidal wave of reality’.
He said Woricker had written him a note saying : ‘Please stop this. I am sorry. I am upset. I apologise to everyone in court for wasting their time.’
As he adjourned sentencing until tomorrow Judge David Turner QC told Woricker: ‘It’s going to be a pretty significant prison sentence. It’s a dreadful course of conduct, derailed his career and his life.’