A FORMER Rossendale councillor has appeared in court for the first time to answer allegations of fraud.
Steven Birtwell, 54, of Oak Avenue, Haslingden, is charged with six counts of false accounting, forgery and deception. The charges relate to Birtwell's spell of office with the Haslingden Estate Management Board and date back 1999.
The former Haslingden Conservative councillor appeared at Rossendale magistrates court yesterday.
The case was adjourned for three weeks following an application from the Crown Prosecution Service, who said they needed more time to review the evidence.
He was granted conditional bail to re-appear at Rossendale Magistrates Court on March 26.
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