A former bank manager who turned to theft and fraud as his credit card debts rocketed to £85,000 has walked free from court.

Tim Kinder 50, from Sunfield Avenue, Oldham - who spent four weeks in custody while a judge decided how to deal with him – was given a nine-month suspended sentence.

But Kinder, who owed thousands on 10 credit cards, is due back in court again next week when he will be sentenced by Bury magistrates for dishonestly running up debts of almost £4,000 on his wife's credit card.

Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Kinder had taken the money in January when he began a relationship with another woman.

Charges were brought after his wife complained to police, but the court was told there had subsequently been a reconciliation and she was present to hear him being sentenced.

The court earlier heard how Kinder's huge debts left him having to pay out £1,600 per month in minimum card repayments alone.

A former manager for HSBC in Oldham, he first turned to crime to help Oldham's Waterhead Rugby Club, of which he was treasurer - though he ended up stealing from the club as well.

He set up a 'ghost' company to get a £45,000 loan, knowing the bank would never have approved a loan to a sporting club.

Kinder later used around £13,182 of club money to make payments on his credit cards, after he had used up all his own savings.

A further £6,907 in cash was also stolen from the bank and he raised false invoices for £5,500 for work that was never carried out by a courier firm which he set up after quitting his job at the bank.

Suspicious

He was caught out when the rugby club chairman became suspicious after being contacted by Lees Brewery, who said they had unpaid invoices for £9,500.

In interview after his arrest, Kinder said he had been 'sinking' and unable to think straight.

He said he had intended to take out a personal loan to repay all he owed before anyone found out.

At the last court hearing, when sentencing was adjourned for a month, Judge Bernard Lever told him: "You had far too many debts. You robbed Peter to pay Paul and it snowballed out of control."

When told that Kinder had since pleaded guilty to dishonestly spending money on his wife's credit card, the judge said it made no difference to his decision to suspend the nine-month jail term.

He told him: "You have served the equivalent of two months in custody, which must have been a very shocking experience for you."

Kinder had pleaded guilty to six charges: obtaining pecuniary advantage by deceit, theft. obtaining a money transfer by deception, and two counts of fraud.

He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work in the community.

In addition, he will be subject to a nightly curfew from 6pm to 6am by electronic tagging for the next six months.