Five men who defrauded a Leicestershire council out of more than £200,000 through an email scam have been sentenced.

Melton Borough Council received a ‘plausible’ email back in 2013 to amend the payment details of a legitimate council service provider. However the deception was revealed when the organisation contacted the council about unpaid invoices.

The five men involved in the fraud have been sentenced to a total of eight and a half years in prison, although every sentence apart from one was suspended.

Cllr Joe Orson, leader of Melton Borough Council, said: ‘I am pleased with the outcome and the council will continue to support the good work already carried out by the police in bringing this matter before the court to a conclusion.

'The council remains out of pocket as a result of this fraud and will now be looking to see what can be recovered from the Proceeds of Crime Act.’