A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after posing as a mortgage broker and convincing investors to hand over nearly £650,000.

Jaspal Singh Juttla, 55, of Northwood north London, was convicted by Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty to 26 counts of fraud dating between January 2006 and December 2013.

He was arrested in February 2014 after an investigation by detectives from Hillingdon CID and the Met’s Specialist and Economic Crime Unit.

Detective Constable Stephen Rothwell, Hillingdon CID, said: "Juttla fed his gambling habit and need for luxury goods and cars by exploiting his trusting victims and stealing their hard earned cash.  “He had promised members of his own community that he would help them to move up the London property ladder and build the best future for their families.  “Many of the victims did not have the confidence to come forward and report Juttla's actions due to their minimal understanding of the property market, policing procedures and embarrassment about being conned.”

Juttla would meet potential clients, who were predominantly Indian and spoke little or no English, at a variety of locations around London, where he would present official documentation like letter headed paper, invoices, receipts and agreements to his unsuspecting victims to disguise his elaborate scam, according to police. He would convince them to hand over large sums of money by promising to provide large investment returns if they invested in his property schemes.