A SENIOR Morrisons employee is set to go on trial at Bradford Crown Court to contest allegations he fraudulently disclosed payroll data at the supermarket giant.

Andrew Skelton, 43, denied three charges under the Computer Misuse Act, the Data Protection Act, and the Fraud Act, during a brief hearing at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court yesterday.

He is alleged to have distributed sensitive information relating to thousands of members of staff without permission while employed as a senior internal auditor at the Morrisons head office at Hilmore House, Gain Lane, Thornbury.

Skelton, of Water Street, Liverpool, is accused of using a computer to gain unauthorised access to a programme or data with the intent to commit fraud, knowingly or recklessly disclosing personal data without the consent of the data controller, and conspiring to commit fraud by dishonestly abusing his position within Morrisons with the intention of causing a loss to the company.

All the offences are alleged to have taken place between November 1 last year and March 20 this year.

The court clerk read the charges to Skelton, who stood in the witness box wearing a dark suit, white shirt, pale blue tie, and glasses.

He spoke only to confirm his name, address, and date of birth, and to enter not guilty pleas to each of the three charges.

Prior to yesterday's hearing, David Holderness, of CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, had said it was "in the public interest" to pursue the charges against Skelton.

In prosecution, he said the matter should be transferred to the Crown Court and Chris Bird, for Skelton, agreed.

Transferring the case to the higher court, District Judge Susan Bouch said: "I am satisfied that if found guilty, the sentencing powers of this court would not be sufficient."

Skelton was released on unconditional bail, and is now due to appear at Bradford Crown Court on December 16.

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