Two accountants, Paul Duncan, 36, from Willand, near Tiverton, Devon and Kevin O'Connor, 45 from Sandford, Crediton, Devon have been jailed over their role in a multi-million pound building scam.

The pair helped builders avoid £4.5m in tax bills in just three years.

Duncan was convicted of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and conspiracy to launder money between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2002 and was jailed for six years at Blackfriars Crown Court, London while O'Connor admitted his role in the plot and was jailed for two years.

During the trial the court had heard how O'Connor laundered £350,000 in an offshore bank account in Cyprus while Duncan, a former Royal Marine, used his take to pay for an £80,000 house extension and set up a new office in Plymouth. He also enjoyed extravagant family holidays to New York.

Duncan ran the Churchill and Co accountancy firm in Crediton, Devon.