Two women have admitted stealing $140,371.85 from their employer, the Bermuda Telephone Company (BTC), in a crime dating back 19 years.

Yvonne Simmons, 44, and Jacqueline Laidlow, 47, pleaded guilty to committing the offence between December 31, 1989 and April 1, 2005 when they appeared at Supreme Court yesterday.

They also admitted to a further charge of conspiring to defraud BTC between March 31, 2005, and April 1, 2005. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Michael McColm said that in light of the guilty pleas, the Crown wished two further charges of "stealing by a servant" to lie on file and not be proceeded with.

He did not give any details of the crime during yesterday's arraignments session at the Supreme Court, and a BTC spokesperson said afterwards that it would not be appropriate to comment until the women are sentenced.

A date for that hearing will be set when they return to court on October 1. Meanwhile Simmons, of Upland Street, Devonshire, and Laidlow, of Swansville Road, Warwick, were granted bail by Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves who ordered pre-sentence reports.

A woman who has previously admitted to stealing more than $100,000 from her employer, the Bermuda Realty Company, between November 2002 and April 2008, will be sentenced on September 12.

Karla Trott, of Spring Benny Road, Sandys, was an accounts administrator in the professional services division, going by the name Karla Smith at the time. She was bailed until her sentence date.