A payroll manager at Bingley thermalwear company Damartex has been warned she could go to jail for fleecing the company out of more than £60,000.

Janine Askins wept in the dock at Bradford Crown Court Court as she pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering offences.

Askins, 45, dishonestly moved large sums of money from one HBOS account into another while working for the firm, of Bowling Green Mills, Lime Street, Bingley.

She admitted a total of seven offences, including one of fraud, between June, 2010, and October, 2011.

The remaining six counts were offences of transferring criminal property, embracing sums from £3,423 to £21,805. Askins, of Park Grove, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, was committed to the Crown Court by Bradford and Keighley Magistrates on September 12.

She was set to be sentenced under the new “Early Guilty Plea” scheme when defendants are quick to admit their offences at the lower court.

But Judge John Potter was unable to deal with the case to conclusion because a probation report had not yet been prepared.

Askins’ solicitor advocate, Nigel Jamieson, asked for the case to be adjourned.

Askins, who was visibly distressed throughout the short hearing, had her unconditional bail renewed.

She must come back to the court to be sentenced on October 29.

Judge Potter said the probation report would explore all sentencing options, including custody.

He warned Askins that by adjourning her case, and allowing her bail to continue, he was not giving her any indication of the type of sentence she would receive.

Judge Potter set out a timetable under the Proceeds of Crime Act for a confiscation hearing to claw back any money and assets available from Askins’ criminality.

He told her she must produce a statement of means to financial investigators by November 9.

Damartex, which employs hundreds of workers, is famous for its best-selling thermal underwear and is regarded as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality clothing.

The company also has premises in Steeton.