A 54-year-old woman has admitted stealing almost $50,000 from bowling league funds by falsifying accounts and forging cheques.

Jean Marion Burgess, of Loyal Hill, Devonshire, was due to stand trial at Supreme Court this week for allegedly taking more than $1.24 million from Bermuda Bowling Federation, the Junior Bowling League and the Commercial Bowling League.

Yesterday she pleaded guilty to three amended theft charges totalling $48,811.

She also admitted three counts of forgery, three of uttering false documents and one of fraudulent false accounting.

According to the charge sheet, Burgess, acting as a clerk or servant of the Junior Bowling League, falsified its books with intent to defraud.

She also forged cheques in the names of June Dill, Karon Wolffe and Mary Gaye Dean and presented them knowing them to be false.

Burgess stole $5,710 from Bermuda Bowling Federation between April and October 2003, $4,851 from the Junior Bowling League between September 2002 and October 2003 and $38,250 from the Commercial Bowling League between May 2002 and October 2003.

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons adjourned the case until September 4 for a social inquiry report and Burgess, who is understood to have been a treasurer for the three bowling organisations, was bailed.

No one from Bermuda Bowling Federation or the two leagues could be contacted for comment.