The lawyer for a mother accused of stealing thousands of dollars from an after school club has grilled prosecution witnesses over the whereabouts of a cheque-book.

Larry Scott repeatedly put it to the Gilbert Institute after-school programme administrative assistant that Lee Brown was not the only one who had the cheque-book at the time of the alleged crimes.

Brown, 49, from St. David's, is accused of stealing almost $43,000 from the programme that was meant to be spent on food, equipment and outings for the kids.

She is also alleged to have forged cheques to the tune of $6,090 drawn on its Bank of Bermuda account between November 2003 and April 2005. She denies the charges.

Brown had a child at the school at the time, and according to prosecutor Paula Tyndale had taken on the voluntary role of running the after-school programme which was set up by the parent teacher association.

Ms Tyndale has told the Supreme Court jury that Brown failed to pay fees from the students into the bank as she should have, and forged signatures from co-signees on cheques drawn on its account.

According to the prosecutor, she had possession of the cheque-book for the programme's account at the relevant time.

Last Friday, Crown witness Christine Place, administrative assistant for the programme during the period in question, was quizzed by Mr. Scott.

He put it to her that the cheque-book was generally kept at the school and was also held by other people associated with the programme – namely Brenda Smith and Linda Franks.

Ms Place replied that she did not remember the other women ever having it in their possession and although it was sometimes kept at the school before Brown took on the leadership role, she was given it back afterwards when she asked to hold it.

The defendant, who works as an administrative assistant at the Elbow Beach Hotel, is on bail and the case continues.