AN escapologist formerly in charge of Southend Council’s private housing has admitted defrauding the authority out of more than £300,000.

Stuart Burrell, of Eastcote Grove, Southend, who is a world record-breaking escapologist, admitted four counts of fraud at Basildon Crown Court on Friday.

The charges relate to council suppliers while Burrell was working as the authority’s head of private sector housing between October 2016 and January 2017.

Burrell, 41, appeared at court in a black suit and white shirt, and spoke only to confirm his name and enter pleas.

He admitted authorising a payment of £130,161 to businessman Mustafa Ahmed, as well as authorising £141,240 to be paid to the Southend company MSA Design Ltd, owned by Mr Ahmed, between May 2015 and January 2017. He also admitted making a one-off payment of £11,700 to Host Property on or around December 20, 2016, and £24,300 to Steve Brown Services on January 30, 2017.

In total, he admitted defrauding the council of £307,401.

At crown court on Friday, Stephen Rhodes, prosecuting, said that the crown could not find evidence of any personal gain made by Burrell.

He said: “The defendant is of good character and is entitled to full credit.

“Following the charges, the crown has looked into finding evidence of any personal financial gain made by the defendant from carrying out these transactions.

“From the research, it has been found that the transactions did go to the housing companies, which then used the funds to carry out improvement works to various properties under their ownership.

“This is how the transfers were intended to be carried out when the defendant authorised the funds.

“The crown has looked in depth to find evidence that the defendant had any financial gain from these transactions, but there isn’t any.”

Burrell is widely known across Southend as an escapologist who once held 12 Guinness World Records.

He still holds two world records – one for the most handcuffs unlocked in one minute at nine and the fastest escape from a pair of double-locked regulation prisoner transport irons which he managed to do in 1 minute 3 seconds in July 2015.

He will be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on January 11.