A former executive director of Keep Bermuda Beautiful has been warned he faces jail after stealing $42,050 from the charity.

Lennox Boodram, 46, pleaded guilty at Supreme Court to committing the offence between October 2001 and May 2005. The charity he swindled mounts regular garbage clean-up operations on land and at sea.

The father-of-two, who admits having a substance abuse problem, previously denied the theft.

However, he was unable to secure the services of a defence lawyer and changed his plea minutes before his trial was due to start yesterday, telling Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons: "They told me I had a good case but this thing has been dragging on. I need to move on with my life and now would be a good time."

Senior Crown Counsel Paula Tyndale agreed that two further charges — of unlawfully obtaining money through cashing two cheques of $5,533.13 each — will lie on file and not be proceeded with.

Mrs. Justice Simmons initially told Boodram, of Random Lane West, Warwick, that she would remand him into custody until his case comes up again on November 1 and a date for his sentencing is fixed.

However, the defendant protested: "Can I ask that you extend my bail because of my circumstances? "I don't have a job and someone has to look after my two kids while my wife is at work. I've not breached my bail and I have a two-year-old and an eight-year-old."

The judge agreed to do so, setting bail at $5,000 with one surety.

He ordered Boodram to report twice weekly to Hamilton Police Station and surrender his passport.

She also ordered pre-sentence reports including one relating to substance abuse from the Bermuda Assessment and Referral Centre.

Mrs. Justice Simmons warned Boodram: "Consider yourself fortunate that having admitted to a serious charge you have been re-admitted to bail, but I should warn you of course that the fact that you have been re-admitted to bail does not mean you will relieve a non-custodial sentence... that's not what this means."