A TORFAEN man who took almost £50,000 from clients facing bankruptcy while working as an insolvency practitioner has been sentenced to two years in prison.

William Evan Price, 69, of Park View Terrace, Pontnewynydd, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday. The name of his company was not given but Price was also disqualified from being an insolvency practitioner and director of a company for seven years.

He pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud, two counts of theft and one count of false accounting.

The offending related to the misappropriation of nearly £48,000 by Price in his role as the trustee in bankruptcy of five cases and the liquidator of one company.

He also falsified his time sheets in relation to his administration of one bankruptcy, it was said.

The offending also continued to take place despite the restriction and withdrawal of Price’s insolvency practitioner’s licence by the Institute of Chartered accountants in England and Wales in 2011, said the Insolvency Service.

Deputy chief investigating officer Liam Mannall, from the department for business, energy and industrial strategy, said: "The Insolvency Service and department for business, energy and industrial strategy will take firm action in respect of criminal activity on the part of insolvency professionals, who are under an enhanced fiduciary duty when dealing with vulnerable individuals and distressed companies.

"Mr Price completely betrayed the trust placed in him by a number of people who considered him to be an individual who would apply his professional knowledge to help them through difficult periods in their lives."

The 69-year-old was sentenced to two years in jail, in addition to the judge disqualifying him from holding director positions within businesses for seven years.