KINGS LANGLEY: A councillor has been jailed for 12 months after defrauding a transport company where he worked as an accountant of more than £50,000.

Vijay Shah, 45, was sacked from EJ Masters in Railway Terrace, Kings Langley, after ten years for providing a false reference to the Indian High Commission for a woman attempting to enter the country – claiming she worked there.

The company's new accountant discovered about £57,000 was missing and suspicion fell on the Brent Liberal Democrat – who since the allegations came to light resigned from the Party but continued standing as an Independent councillor.

Shah, who has a previous conviction for shoplifting, managed to bypass the computer system which allowed him to issue cheques and bank cash into accounts of friends, family and people to whom he owed money.

Shah, of Clayton Avenue, Wembley, who has three properties, was, apart from a “minor blemish”, a man with standing in the community who had served as a Liberal Democrat for many years, said Chris Georgiou, defending.

He has suffered from publicity on “National Front” websites which had taken an “unhealthy interest” in the case and was supported in court by former party colleague James Allie, said Mr Georgiou.

The money was not spent on “luxuries” but day-to-day living, said Mr Georgiou, who pointed out Shah had paid back £60,0000, and asked the sentencing judge at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday not to jail his client.

However, Judge Carr said prison was the only appropriate sentence for the “relatively sophisticated fraud”.

Judge Carr said: “You had to corrupt the computer system and safeguards that stop cheques being passed without the appropriate signatures.

“You went on 50 occasions to use that system to divert funds to family, friends and others you owed money.

“In 2007 you had defrauded the company in excess of £57,000. This isn't a case of someone realising what they had done was wrong and coming forward.

“You were dismissed from the company and when a new accountant came in it became apparent the fraud had been committed.”

He added: “You believed you were beyond reproach and would never be caught.

“It wasn't to fund an extravagant lifestyle, but to pay the bills we all face each day without defrauding those we work for.”

The judge criticised Shah for attempting to minimise the fraud in his first police interview in Mach 2008.

He said: “You paid the amount back, but only after you had been caught. I accept that apart from this event you are an upstanding member of society and have contributed to society, especially your constituents.

“But those in public office have increased responsibility and should be beyond reproach, but you failed to do this.

“There is no getting away from the sophistication of the crime, the amount taken and the position of responsibility you occupy, therefore 12 months is the least I am able to impose.”

Shah shook his bowed head slowly from side-to-side in the dock before being led away to serve half of the sentence in custody.

He will be released on licence after six months.