A FINANCIAL adviser who stole almost £500,000 from clients who trusted him to invest their life savings has been jailed for four years.

Kevan Berry became friends with his five victims by gaining their trust through his job at the Lancashire-based Bowland Financial Management at Nelson.

His dishonesty grew over six years as he stole increasing amounts of cash to keep his mother and his ex and current wives living a comfortable lifestyle, Preston Crown Court was told.

Berry, aged 41, of Mercia Street, Bolton, tried to cover his tracks and recoup the cash with risky investments and gambled on horses as a last resort before trying to kill himself, the court was told.

Berry pleaded guilty to 11 theft-related offences.

Jailing him, Judge Peter Openshaw told him: "It is important to state that those who have been affected, in my judgement, were hard working people who wanted their life savings to be invested securely.

"They trusted him and thought their money was safe wife him.

"The defendant will never be employed in a position of trust again and may never again secure employment of any kind."

Police have not been able to trace the stolen cash and suspect it has all been spent.

Mr Tony Cross, defending, said that Berry came from a modest background and left school at the age of 18.

But he then met representatives from Bowland at a sportsman's dinner in 1990 and soon started work for the company.

Mr Cross said: "He began to move in another world. He was anxious to promote himself and his family within that business and social environment. He realised in a short space of time that he could not live the life others were living." He said Berry targeted clients he had represented since his early days and persuaded them to re-invest their cash through him. But instead he transferred it into accounts set up in the names of his mother-in-law, mother and wife. He even falsified signatures. When he was charged with the four counts of procuring an execution of valuable security, six of theft and one of attempted theft, Berry told police: "I want to apologise to everyone. I never intended for anything like this and got myself in a situation I could not get out of."