A printing manager was caught "with his fingers in the till" to the tune of £4,867, magistrates heard.

Jason Fox, 33, of Well Cottage, High Street, Drayton St Leonard, was project manager at PPL, Market Place, Abingdon, until he was sacked when it was discovered he was pocketing cash paid by customers.

At Didcot Magistrates' Court, he admitted three offences of theft - of £788, £679 and £226 - and two of making out false cheques.

He also asked for 11 offences of theft and falsifying cheques to be taken into consideration.

Helen Waite, prosecuting, said Fox "betrayed a position of trust as an employee having his fingers in the till".

Sabeeha Khan, defending, said the problem arose in the middle of last year when the father-of-two developed an addiction to alcohol.

Miss Khan said Fox was receiving medication to help him overcome his addiction and had offered to repay the stolen money.

Fox was remanded on unconditional bail until June 18 for a pre-sentence report.