It has been reported that the 70-year-old was too sick to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Friday, but admitted four charges of scamming the authorities between 2006 and 2019.

Mr Esslemont admitted to failing to pay almost £262,000 in income tax payments and more than £88,000 in national insurance contributions.

He admitted one charge of failing to pay £114,182.68 in income tax between January 6 2006 and August 5 2011.

Throughout the same period he also failed to pay £31,718.18 of income tax in respect of his employees, The Press and Journal reports.

Mr Esslemont also pled guilty to evading national insurance contributions totalling £39,846 in respect of his employees. Similarly, he admitted to failing to pay an additional £96,824 in income tax and £19,099 in relation to his employees.

The final charge states Esslemont failed to pay £17,615 of national insurance contributions in relation to himself and £30,904 with respect to his employees.

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin deferred sentence on Esslemont until next month in order for reports from Esslemont’s GP and lung specialist to be provided.