A BRADFORD man facing jail for dishonestly pocketing more than £300,000 in care and welfare payments which were meant for his ailing family failed to appear for his sentencing hearing yesterday.

Shajad Hussain, 38, received almost £370,000 from Bradford Council to provide care and support to his mother, brother, late father, and late brother between May 2007 and December 2013, but only about £56,000 of payments were ever accounted for.

He defended himself during a month-long trial at Bradford Crown Court but was found guilty of five charges of fraud by abuse of position.

He was cleared of a sixth charge for the same offence.

Hussain, who is in custody, had been due to appear at the same court for sentencing, but failed to appear amid rumours that he was unwell.

His family and friends had gathered in the public gallery, but prosecutor Alun Jones said Hussain, of Primary Way, Undercliffe, had not been produced from prison.

Judge Mark Savill, who told Hussain on Monday he was facing an "inevitable sentence of custody", said: "I can't sentence Mr Hussain in his absence, so the case will have to be re-listed until a date is available that is suitable to all parties."