Man who stole for sex gets three years

A businessman who siphoned off £500,000 from his own company to lavish gifts on a prostitute was jailed today for three years.

Infatuated Peter Lee, 51, of Priors Terrace, Tynemouth, Tyneside, ruined his bus company Durham Travel Services with the massive theft.

The married father of two bought sex at £1,000 a night and gave a London prostitute named Tia a BMW convertible, jewellery and a holiday to Bali before his crimes were detected.

At Durham Crown Court, where he had previously admitted three counts each of forgery, theft, and false accounting, Judge John Walford told him: "You have thrown away a lifetime of hard work and you have brought shame not only on yourself but on your family.

"Your reputation is in tatters and your future is obviously a difficult one."