A FRAUDSTER who tried to persuade a bank to give him £500,000 from someone else's account was jailed for 30 months.

Ahsan Mahmood, 45, of Ronbury Close, Barrowford, was said to have used details given by an insider to con Barclays Bank in St James Street, Burnley.

He obtained the first £50,000 on September 12 last year and, along with an accomplice, arranged for the transfer of two further amounts of £200,000 and £250,000.

But he was arrested five days later when he returned to the bank after calling about the transfer.

Preston Crown Court was told Mahmood - who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud - went into the branch with an unidentified accomplice and showed a false driving licence and passport.

Mark Stuart, defending, said it had been a "sophisticated offence" and revealed there was £500,000 in this account.

He said: "Without this information no one would dream of entering a bank and taking so much money from an account."

Judge Peter Openshaw QC added: "It's obvious people with considerable criminal skill and enterprise were behind this."