A judge has halted the trial of a post office clerk accused of stealing £25,000 by fraudulently cashing pensions and benefits cheques.

Ray Wingate, 42, of Southdown Road, Bognor, had denied 20 specimen counts of theft between August 2000 and August 2001.

It was alleged during a three-week trial at Hove Crown Court that he used the tills and date stamps of colleagues at Bognor post office to conceal the thefts.

Mr Wingate told investigators he had inherited money from his mother after her death.

The court heard he had co-operated fully with the inquiry into the alleged theft and had willingly given investigators access to his personal capital and savings accounts.

Mr Wingate said he believed he had been set up to make it look as if he had taken the money by those who carried out the thefts.

Selwyn Shapiro, defending, said Post Office records which the prosecution relied on were incomplete and misleading.

Judge Austin Issard-Davies agreed to Mr Shapiro's application to halt the trial after legal argument.

He discharged the jury, saying it was unsafe for them to be asked to consider a verdict.