Wednesday 7th January, 2014

A man has denied defrauding the financially troubled Grand Theatre in Leeds out of just over £178,000 by submitting false invoices.

Mr Alp, former head of finance at the theatre pleaded not guilty at Leeds Crown Court to one count of fraud.

Peter Alp, along with Dean Oates, 45, from York, are accused of submitting a series of false invoices between 2011 and 2013.

At a previous hearing, Mr Oates admitted one count of fraud and is due to be sentenced at the end of Mr Alp's trial.

The Stage News reported that Leeds City Council, which owns the theatre, said it could no longer afford to run the venue in July last year.

The alleged fraud came to light after the Council took an audit of the accounts and uncovered password breaches.

Mr Alp is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 22nd June.