A FORMER bank manager has admitted stealing nearly £45,000 from customers, including his estranged wife.Geoffrey Howlett, 41, who was a manager of Barclays Bank in Sudbury for six years, admitted eight counts of theft dating back to October 1996 during a crown court hearing yesterday .

A FORMER bank manager has admitted stealing nearly £45,000 from customers, including his estranged wife.

Geoffrey Howlett, 41, who was a manager of Barclays Bank in Sudbury for six years, admitted eight counts of theft dating back to October 1996 during a crown court hearing yesterday . The offences, which total £13,100, relate to money transfers made.

During the short hearing in Bury St Edmunds, the court heard that Howlett had transferred sums ranging from £100 to £3,400 from two accounts.

One was held by his estranged wife Christina, while the other victim was named as Edith Curry.

Howlett, who pleaded not guilty to three similar charges, asked Judge John Devaux to take 50 other offences into consideration. These thefts amounted to a total of £31,000.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, said all offences related to transfers made between accounts without authority.

Howlett, of Herbert Road, Clacton-on-Sea, was bailed to be sentenced during the week beginning March 31. Judge Devaux ordered a pre-sentence report from the probation service, warning the 41-year-old all sentencing options remained open.

"I am not giving any indication as to what the sentence is likely to be," he said.

Howlett will not stand trial for the three offences to which he pleaded not guilty.

Last night, Danny Reardon, Barclays regional liaison manager, said: "We take any instances of fraud extremely seriously.

"Geoffrey Howlett was employed by the bank for over 20 years, the last six at Sudbury. He has now been dismissed."