The founder of prisoner support charity People’s Opportunity to Work (POW) Trust has been jailed after committing a series of banking frauds in a bid to raise £2.5m to support his charity when its money ran out.

Peter Sainsbury had used his inheritance to set up the POW Trust after being released from jail for a £3m fraud in the 1970s.

However, when the money ran out, Sainsbury defrauded cash to support the charity from the bank accounts of wealthy individuals, businesses and a local council, through fake invoices, stolen credit card details and intercepted cheques.

Sainsbury, who was too unwell to attend court, was jailed for five years after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown County Court.

Judge Andrew Goymer said that Sainsbury had not benefited personally from the fraud and had a “frugal and Spartan” lifestyle. He said that the POW Trust did genuine work and “several members of Parliament gave their time and money to the charity”.