A FORMER Conservative Party branch president yesterday admitted dishonestly taking more than £25,000 from a charity which helps disadvantaged children.

Donald David Gilbert OBE, a former North-East regional chairman of the Variety Club of Great Britain, pleaded guilty to nine charges including false accounting, obtaining money by deception and theft, at a hearing at York Crown Court.

An ex-president of Newcastle Conservative Association and a city councillor for 17 years, Gilbert, 73, of Causey House, Elmfield Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, denied one charge of forgery and one of obtaining £15,000 by deception.

He took the cash from the Variety Club over two years.

Yesterday's hearing was adjourned and Gilbert was bailed to appear before the court on July 24.

Gilbert left the Tory Party and resigned as a governor of Newcastle Royal Grammar School when his wrong-doing first came to light.

Yesterday, deputy chairman of the Newcastle Conservative Federation Sandra Gilfillan distanced the organisation from Mr Gilbert.

She said: "He has had absolutely nothing to do with the party in the North-East since this all began.

"If he was still in the party I have no doubt William Hague would have had him up in front of the ethics committee."

The former alderman served on Newcastle City Council between 1967 and 1983 and was also a Tyne and Wear county councillor. The father-of-four was managing director of a carpet distribution firm.

No one from the Variety Club of Great Britain was prepared to comment in detail before Gilbert is sentenced and the outstanding charges against him settled.

A spokesman said that the charity is devoted to raising money for disadvantaged children and most volunteers do not claim expenses.

Northumbria Police began investigations after being alerted by the charity. The most serious allegations are believed to centre on the sale of Sunshine Coaches which the organisation provides to take disadvantaged children on outings.