News

A mortgage intermediary from East Kent, who conned his clients out of more than £440,000 has been sent to jail for three-and-a-half years.

Gordon Benville, 50, an Independent Financial Advisor who traded as Kingsfield in Deal, appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on 11 July for sentencing after pleading guilty to 16 offences on 11 June.

Judge Timothy Nash described the actions of Benville, 50, as "despicable" during sentencing at Canterbury Crown Court.

Benville of Wellington Parade, Walmer pleaded guilty following an investigation by Kent Police's serious economic crime unit.

Twelve of the offences Benville, a former Royal Marine bandsman who served on the Royal Yacht Britannia as the Queen's pianist, pleaded guilty to related to obtaining a money transfer by deception and four were fraud offences.

The offences of obtaining a money transfer by deception totalled £440,637. Two members of the public went to the police in February 2007 about concerns about their mortgage and financial status following guidance given by Benville.

As a result of investigations into Benville's bank accounts the full extent of his criminality was revealed.

As a result he was suspended by the FSA in October 2007 and his assets frozen.

All of the offences Benville pleaded guilty to surrounded activities he carried out as a mortgage broker or financial adviser.

Some of Benville's offences related to a number of people who had believed the adviser was a trusted friend, including a 74-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman.

Kent Police said many of these people have been left in financial instability following Benville's actions.