A former employee of the St Michael’s Hotel in Falmouth is due in court next month on charges of false accounting and fraud, after allegedly taking nearly £100,000 from the company’s payroll.

Lisa Thompson, 48, of Tresawle Road, Falmouth, entered no plea at Truro Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon, and was granted unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Truro Crown Court on February 20.

Thompson is alleged to have falsified payroll sheets, amending bank details to divert staff payments into her own account before reinstating the correct details, between January 1, 2008 and June 27, 2013.

She is also charged with committing fraud totalling £98,438 by abusing her position while she was employed as an accounts’ assistant at the hotel when prosecutors say she was expected to safeguard, or not act against, the financial interests of hotel owner Nigel Carpenter.