A 48-year-old man who posed as a Woolwich bank customer during an accounts scam which netted more than £1 million has been jailed for six years.

John Allin was caught on CCTV entering the Bradford branch in July last year, when assistant deputy manager Mohammed Hussain handed over a cheque for £190,000 and £25,000 cash.

Allin had denied being part of the conspiracy to defraud the bank, but a jury at Bradford Crown Court took just an hour to find him guilty yesterday.

As previously reported, in July this year, Hussain, 21, of Shell Lane, Calverley, was sentenced to seven years after Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC heard how the former cashier had taken advantage of the manager's holiday to authorise large cash withdrawals and electronic transfers of sums from customer accounts.

During a three-week period in July and August last year Hussain, who had only been at the Kirkgate branch for three months, was involved in removing just over £1 million from five accounts.

It is understood that although about half the money was recovered, the rest had now disappeared.

A reporting ban meant Allin's trial could not be reported, but after the jury's unanimous guilty verdict Judge Durham Hall lifted the restriction and branded him "totally dishonest".

During his trial Allin claimed he had only come up to Bradford with a friend because Hussain had indicated he could provide information about rejected mortgage applicants which they could pass on to mortgage brokers.

Judge Durham Hall told him: "You're presence and all the evidence points 100 per cent to your involvement and your criticism of the jury, saying shame on them, just indicates the depth of your dishonesty.

"You are a thoroughly, completely and totally dishonest man. You lied to this jury from start to finish."

As well as the CCTV evidence of Allin's presence in the branch on the day of the illegal transactions, police found documents in a briefcase at his home when he was arrested in September 2005.

In addition to the visit on July 26, it was part of the prosecution case that Allin may also have posed as another customer during a similar transaction two days later.

On that occasion a cheque for £120,000, and £41,200 in cash, was taken from a couple's account.

Jailing Allin, of Highland Road, Worcester, Judge Durham Hall described Hussain's actions as "the most deplorable breach of trust", but pointed out that for some of the transactions the conspiracy needed someone to pose as a customer.

He told Allin: "This is a conspiracy in which you played a full part and, I strongly believe, a guiding hand. You are skilled, on your own admission, in financial matters and you and your friends and contacts in Birmingham knew exactly what you were doing with Mr Hussain.

He said Allin's jail term was intended to send out the message that those who attacked financial institutions in such a way would receive very significant sentences.

e-mail: sunita.bhatti @bradford.newsquest.co.uk