A Catholic priest has admitted to taking fraudulently at least £50,000 of church money over more than four years.

Fr John Charles Leo Reid could be facing jail after changing his plea to guilty at Durham Crown Court.

The 69-year-old has admitted to abusing his position as a priest and is alleged to have stolen the funds in the four years and five months after taking over the ministry of St Cuthbert's Church, Chester-le-Street, and St Bede's Catholic, in nearby Sacriston.

Following his arrest in May 2014, Fr Reid voluntarily withdrew from public ministry while Durham Police spent more than two years investigating his case.

Last July, he was charged under the Fraud Act, 2006, and appeared before Peterlee Magistrates Court.

In September the case was sent to the crown court, where Fr Reid denied two charges of fraud by abuse of position.

It was alleged that between June 1, 2009, and October 31, 2013, he abused his position as a parish priest.

While in his position, 'he was expected to safeguard, or not act against, the financial interests of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, by failing to draw only modest and legitimate expenses, failing to set up a finance committee, and by failing to keep proper receipts and accounts, as he was required to do'.

It was alleged that some of the money taken went on foreign travel, restaurants and cinema trips, but he claimed that much of that spending came from an inheritance.

Trial was due to start at the court in May. But on Monday, Fr Reid's counsel, Christopher Knox, asked for one count to be put again to his client.

Fr Reid pleaded guilty, which the court heard was on a basis accepted by the Crown.

Knox said: 'What we now hope is that sentence can be dealt with, on April 7. We would anticipate there being a number of character references. There is a sum of money to be repaid to the diocese and we hope that will be effective by the time of sentence.'

Judge Christopher Prince said that he wanted to know the exact amount that is said to have been taken before the sentencing hearing.

Jane Waugh, prosecuting, told the court: 'We have agreed that the lowest figure is £50,000.'

Knox said that some of the money recovered by the police has already been passed on to the diocese.

Bailing Fr Reid to St Patrick's Presbytery, in Stockton, until sentence, Judge Prince told him: 'The fact the case has been adjourned for sentence should be seen as no indication as to the final sentence.'

A spokesperson for the diocese said it will not comment 'until the full court process has run its course'.