A former Canberra childcare centre boss is set to argue there is not enough evidence to justify her standing trial on at least some of the charges she faces in relation to an alleged six-figure fraud.
Emma Louise Morton, 48, has been charged with 110 counts of obtaining property by deception since she was arrested at her Campbell home in February last year.
She has pleaded not guilty.
Exactly how much the former Weston Creek Children's Centre director is accused of stealing from the not-for-profit is unclear, but the initial 80 charges related to a combined amount exceeding $375,000.
When Morton faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday, defence lawyer Rachel Fisher asked for the case to be listed for a contested committal hearing.
Such a hearing is designed to test the strength of the evidence against a defendant, with a magistrate asked to determine whether or not there is a reasonable possibility a jury would convict them.
Charges found to have no reasonable prospects of success are dismissed, while those found to stand a chance are sent to the ACT Supreme Court for trial.
Ms Fisher said the matter could proceed next May, and a prosecutor indicated the parties would try before then to narrow down the issues that would need to be the subject of the hearing.
There was no indication as to whether Morton intended to contest her committal in relation to all charges or just some of them.
Morton, who was a director of the childcare centre for more than 22 years, spent about two weeks behind bars on remand before she was granted bail in March 2021.
In documents tendered to the court early in her case, when she was only charged with defrauding the centre of about $160,000, police said Morton had overseen the care of about 115 children per day.
The documents allege she stole from the centre by transferring its money to her own bank accounts and making personal purchases, including a $3000 sofa and a hotel stay, with the not-for-profit's funds.
Morton allegedly disguised some of the transfers with descriptions that falsely indicated they were for things like educational resources, tax payments and legal fees.
After magistrate Glenn Theakston listed Morton's contested committal hearing for May 17 next year, the 48-year-old spent nearly four hours dodging media.
She eventually hid behind a man to avoid being photographed as she left court.
