AN ACCOUNTANT jailed for conning the Bermudan government out of £1.8 million will serve extra time behind bars after swindling his mother out of £50,000.

Gambling addict Jeffrey Bevan, aged 51, of Orchid Court, Ty Canol, Cwmbran, cheated Lavinia Bevan out of the money after lying to her that he was going to invest it for her.

Prosecutor Timothy Evans told Cardiff Crown Court how the defendant, who pocketed the cash after she wrote him a cheque, was found guilty of theft by a jury after a trial.

Mrs Bevan, who was in her seventies when the offence was committed between 2013 and 2014, died last year.

Father-of-two Bevan was jailed for seven years and four months in January after he pleaded guilty to three counts of transferring criminal property and 10 counts of converting criminal property during his first trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Bevan siphoned off the money while working as a payment manager in British overseas territory Bermuda between 2011 and 2013.

Jurors heard the money he stole was used to pay off the £140,000 mortgage on his house, invest in 11 properties and buy two Mercedes cars.

Bevan, who appeared in court via a video link from Parc Prison, had claimed the £1.8 million was legitimately paid to him for his work at the department of the Accountant General of Bermuda.

He was paid an £80,000 annual salary to implement a new finance system at the government, which he was an expert in.

After coming back to the UK in 2013, he turned his attention to his mother.

Mr Evans read out a victim impact statement on behalf of his brother Jason Bevan which said: “If my mother were alive today, she would have been appalled by Jeff’s actions.”

Judge Michael Fitton QC told Bevan: “You deliberately targeted your elderly mother whose faculties were diminishing.

“It was a cynical offence for your own benefit. The victim personal statement shows this was a deeply distressing event for your family.

“This was committed by someone who is intelligent and who was employed as an accountant.

“This remains a deeply unattractive and selfish offence.”

Judge Fitton jailed him for a further 18 months.

The court heard a Proceeds of Crime Application hearing will be held against Bevan on February 26, 2019.

Martin Taylor, mitigating, said: “My client is still on good terms with his wife who he sees once a week.”

His barrister told the court how Bevan had a “mentor role” in prison and he was regarded as “a real asset to their further education department”.

Mr Taylor added: “He has brought shame upon himself but he is rebuilding his life.”