A Harrow property magnate has been jailed for seven years for laundering more than ?13 million through an offshore account in the Isle of Man.

Fifty-two year-old John Donnan ran a series of bogus companies with his solicitor to help operate a massive VAT fraud.

The mobile phones carousel fraud is thought to have cost the UK taxpayer around ?30 million.

Donnan’s solicitor used his firm's accounts and a bank account in the Island and was jailed for three-and-a-half years for his part in the scam.

Donnan was described as the operation’s paymaster and admitted his role in the money laundering scheme.

He was also banned from acting as a company director for the next eight years.