MORTGAGE brokers and house-buyers who conned banks out of £3million have been jailed for a total of 12 and a half years.

Five defendants were convicted of dishonestly obtaining services by deception in a mortgage fraud case which saw four more admit the same offences.

Four others were acquitted.

Dorset Police said the gang carried out an “organised abuse of trust” and the sentences send out a clear message to people working in the finance industry.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how Dermot O’Malley-Keyes, 61, of Southbourne Road, Bournemouth, had been unemployed and claiming benefits when he dishonestly obtained £362,250 from the Halifax to build a flat in Brentford, Middlesex.

He was jailed for two years after being found guilty, along with mortgage broker Alex Chiswell, 33, of Tangmere Rise, Eastleigh, of obtaining £232,732 from the bank to buy a flat at East Cliff Manor, using a false passport, accounts and a bill. Chiswell was jailed for four years.

Jurors heard how O’Malley-Keyes also obtained £241,598 from Bank of Scotland PLC to buy a flat in Westbourne, using a false passport and bills and failing to state the true identity of the purchaser.

His wife Madeleine O’Malley-Keyes, 60, of Southbourne Road, Bournemouth, a part-time worker, obtained mortgage advances on two properties.

She and Chiswell dishonestly obtained £237,432 from Halifax to buy a flat in Bournemouth.

They gained £216,830 for a property in Ipswich, using false accounts, a bogus passport, a false bill and a false letter.

Chiswell also gained £216,842 for another Ipswich property.

Madeleine O’Malley-Keyes was sent to prison for 18 months.

Former estate agent John Hudson, 52, of Commercial Road, Bournemouth, was found guilty with Chiswell of obtaining £204,842 to buy a property in Poole, using fake pay slips and a false utility bill. Hudson received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Mortgage broker Colin Zaczyk, 41, obtained £145,000 for a property in the Wallisdown area of Bournemouth and £145,500 for a flat in Bournemouth. He was found guilty of dishonestly obtaining £156,715 for a property in Eastleigh and jailed for two and a half years.

Nicholas Sweet, 56, of Richmond Park Avenue, Bourne-mouth, who previously pleaded guilty, dishonestly gained £216,800 for a property in Ipswich.

He received a 30-month prison sentence.

Chiswell and Justin Aley, pleaded guilty to gaining £212,472 for another Ipswich property. Aley received a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Sweet and Yvonne Major, 32, of Queens Park West Drive, Bournemouth, also pleaded guilty to obtaining £219,992 for an Ipswich property. Major received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Anthony Gray, 46, of Seabourne Place, Bournemouth, admitted obtaining £197,470 to buy a property in Bournemouth. He received a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

The offences spanned criminal activity between 2004 and 2006.

‘Organised abuse of trust’

Speaking after the case, fraud investigator Paul Sullivan, of Dorset Police, said: “This was a long investigation complicated by the amount of documents and defendants.

“There was an organised abuse of trust by the brokers, in particular, who are supposed to look after the interest of the lender and purchasers alike. Although the offences dated back to 2004/2006, they are relevant in respect of the financial situation we now find ourselves in. The sentences send out a clear message to any professional operating in the finance industry.”