A bank branch manager stole more than $46,000 over the course of 14 months, a Supreme Court jury was told yesterday.

Nea Shawnette Butterfield, 37, who was manager of the Bank of Butterfield's St. George's branch, yesterday denied stealing $41,960 in Bermudian currency and $4,340 in American currency from the Bank between September 30, 2001 and January 21, 2003.

Butterfield also pleaded not guilty to using false accounting by falsifying documents on October 10, 2003.

But in her opening statement, Crown counsel Paula Tyndale said Butterfield had exclusive control of cash both as branch manager of the St. George's branch of Butterfield Bank and as a relief teller.

"She was a relief teller in the event they were short on staff or there was a lot of customers," Ms Tyndale said. "In the course of her employment as a branch manager and relief teller she was required to hold cash in a cash box," she said. "In the period of employment, she had certain money under her exclusive control".

However, on January 21, 2003, an internal audit of all the tellers' cash-boxes was conducted.

A physical count of the cash box revealed that approximately $35,000 in Bermuda currency and $4,340 in American currency was missing.

"The defendant was unable to account for the funds," Ms Tyndale said.

Another $6,900 was allegedly stolen by Butterfield with the assistance of the branch's head teller, Joanne Outerbridge, between December, 2002 and January, 2003.

"The head teller was under the direct control of Butterfield," Ms Tyndale said.

She said Butterfield went on holiday in October, 2002.

"Any person who went on holiday had to hand over all the cash they were in possession of either to the vault or to another teller," she said. "Butterfield purported to hand over the cash but there was a form she was required to fill out".

Butterfield handed the form to Ms Outerbridge without handing in the cash.

"Therefore, she made a false statement on the form," Ms Tyndale alleged.

The seven-woman, five-man jury were not to be concerned that Butterfield did not have a lawyer.

Det. Con. Dionne Burrows testified that she was an investigating officer at the Bermuda Police Service's Fraud Unit in February, 2003, when she was contacted by the Bank of Butterfield's auditor, Gloria Dill.

Ms Dill presented Det. Con. Burrows with numerous bank documents between February 28, 2003 and April 27, 2004.

However, when Butterfield appeared not to have a copy of these documents, Justice Carlisle Greaves adjourned the trial for the rest of the morning in order for Butterfield to "get her ducks in a row" and get a lawyer.

Butterfield told the judge she was trying to sell her house in order to pay lawyer's fees.

In the afternoon, Mark Pettingill appeared as her attorney.

Mr. Justice Greaves extended Butterfield's bail for her to reappear today.