AN investment banker from Melksham has been charged with 23 cases of theft totalling £77,000 from a credit balance.

John Christopher Wilkes, alias Chris Wilkes or Hamilton Wilkes, 55, from Brecon Close, entered no plea at Chippenham magistrates' court on Wednesday.

The alleged thefts occurred when Mr Wilkes was acting as an agent to a group of investors between November 1998 and February 2000.

Mr Wilkes will appear at Swindon Crown Court on August 29.