DISGRACED solicitor Durgesh Mehta has been jailed for ten years following a three month trial for VAT fraud.

The 51-year-old from Hill Rise, Chalfont St Peter received the sentence at Canterbury Crown Court last week.

The court heard that Mehta, the front man of the operation, and three others had managed to net themselves £10million, from VAT repayments claimed over six months in 2003.

It had heard that the fraud worked by using two Scottish based companies, Virgini Ltd and AVH Leasing Ltd, both operated by Mehta, and allegedly another man. Over a five month period, Virgini pretended to buy and sell mobile phones.

Mehta claimed Virgini's only supplier was AVH and between July and November 2003 he bought more than 300,000 phones from them, paying £73 million, of which £10 million was VAT.

Mehta claimed it back from HM Revenue and Customs and was paid over £7million before suspicions were raised.

As she sentenced the four, Judge Adele Williams, said it was a "highly sophisticated, bold and cynical fraud for money laundering".

She added: "Two companies traded with each other and this became a carousel fraud. This type of fraud is very prevalent and costs the Treasury a great deal of money. The sheer extent and variety of lies told and the dishonest practices were breathtaking.

"It is impossible to say how much you each stood to gain financially, but I am satisfied you have been shown to be deeply dishonest men, motivated by inordinate greed."

The other three convicted of the conspiracy was Gerald Reardon, 55, of Canterbury, Matthew Sharman, 43, of Basildon, and Peter Ratcliffe, 54, of Surrey. Each was jailed for eight years.

The jury took more than 33 hours to reach their verdict. The second man, Llewellyn Doyle, 41, also from Bucks was acquitted.

Thomas Bayliss, QC, for Mehta, said it would be dangerous to assume he had an organisational role or one over and above what he held at Virgini, although he had been described as a front man during the trial.