The £2m online gambling spree that led to a nine-year prison sentence

"...In total, Smith took £1.75m from clients and laundered a further £600,000 to fund his online gambling habit - with accounts at firms Betfair, Stanley James, Blue Square and Spread Ex.

"Judge Peter Larkin, sitting at Manchester's Minshull Street crown court, said it was dishonesty on a 'truly breathtaking scale'.

"...At one point, Smith had 67 credit cards registered with a single online betting company and it is thought that he squandered £2m by gambling on horses, golf and other sports.

"He betrayed clients he had been friends with for 20 years, whom he had shared meals with and popped round to their homes for cups of tea.

"...The largest single theft from his clients was £185,000 from a woman in her 60s..."

"...Smith also convinced his clients to hand over their credit card details, which he then used to set up online betting accounts. He raised credit limits without their knowledge and diverted many of their statements to keep them in the dark..."