A FORMER rail boss has admitted cheating the expenses system to defraud Great Western Railway out of thousands of pounds.

Appearing before Bristol Crown Court yesterday, Mark Heffernan pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud. Co-defendant Jennifer Perry admitted rubber-stamping fraudulent alcohol orders worth more than £3,200.

Heffernan, 47, was deputy operations director at the Swindon-based rail company until 2017.

Between June 2009 and December 2017 he systematically scammed his employers out of more than £10,000 by authorising expenditure on alcohol, hotels, travel and what was referred to in court simply as “personal items”.

It included over £5,900 on accommodation and travel and authorising £3,200 of alcohol expenses. Between December 2010 and December 2017 he fraudulently okayed bonus payments.

Former GWR employee Perry, 46, admitted facilitating the payment of fraudulent alcohol expenses between June 2009 and December 2016.

Heffernan, of Clifford Street, Chudleigh, Devon, and Perry, of Davin Crescent, Pill, North Somerset, spoke only to confirm their names and their guilty pleas.

Prosecutor Benjamin Aina QC said the Crown had anticipated those guilty pleas and had notified the court so the case could be swiftly sentenced.

Judge Martin Picton bailed the former GWR employees to return to be sentenced on Thursday, February 13.

No pre-sentence reports were ordered. Paul Grumbar appeared for Heffernan. Stephen Mejzner represented Perry.

The investigation was conducted by British Transport Police.