TWO former football officials have appeared in court charged with committing an alleged £200,000 fraud while they were running one of the country’s biggest youth leagues.

Karen Prictor and Margaret Rivers attended the brief hearing along with their husbands, who are accused of possessing criminal property, at Swindon Crown Court.

Prictor, 46, is charged with fraud by abuse of position between November 2009 and July 2013.

Prictor, of Toothill, West Swindon, had been treasurer of the North Wilts and District Youth and Minor League.

Her husband Kevin, 57, faces a charge of possessing criminal property.

Rivers, 54, from Shaw, West Swindon, is accused of fraud between November 2009 and July 2013 while she was secretary of the league. She is alleged to have used her post to make a cash gain for herself.

Her husband Andrew, 57, is accused of possessing criminal property.

All four appeared in the glass dock today where they spoke only to confirm their names.

John Lynch, representing the Prictors, said: “With regards to the offence against her husband Mr Prictor he has indicated a not guilty plea on the basis he has no knowledge of the activity taking place.”

Judge Douglas Field asked Mr Lynch to confirm that Karen Prictor had indicated a guilty plea, to which he replied: “Yes, your honour.”

Prosecutor Hannah Squire thanked the defence for the indications which she told the court were helpful to the Crown’s preparation for the trial, and suggested Mrs Prictor might consider setting out the facts around her plea.

Miss Squire said: “This is a case where the defendant may be considering basis of plea in relation to Mrs Prictor in relation to the amount of money involved, which at this stage the Crown says is in excess of two hundred thousand pounds. “ Chris Oswald, representing Margaret Rivers, said his client “does not accept” many of the allegations put forward by the prosecution. Judge Field told the defendants: “I’m going to release you all on unconditional bail to return here for the next hearing.”

The case will return to the court for a plea and case management hearing on October 10.