Langdale traded as an accountant in the Lancashire area from 1993 and in 2003 Langdales Accountants Ltd was incorporated to continue the work of his sole trader business. The firm went into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation in February 2014.

Between June 2002 and June 2013, Langdale was found to have dishonestly obtained money transfers totalling £2,333,488 from clients, having told them these funds would be invested in a high interest-bearing savings account and would require a 90-day notice period before they could be withdrawn.

In fact, the funds were used by Langdale and he used deposits by subsequent investors to pay earlier investors, effectively a ‘Ponzi scheme’. Only £1,112,951 of this money was repaid, resulting in losses to clients of £1,220,537.

In August 2014 Langdale was convicted at Bradford Crown Court on indictment of obtaining a money transfer by deception and subsequently sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

At the time, the court heard that Langdale, who was struck off as a chartered accountant in 2009, spent £6,000 on adult websites during 2009 and 2010 also withdrew nearly £130,000 in cash from the proceeds of the fraud, which left 28 clients out of pocket and in one case without their life savings.

 Now the court has ordered Langdale’s disqualification for the maximum period permitted by law of 15 years, with effect from 25 February.

Robert Clarke, group leader of insolvent investigations north at the Insolvency Service, said: ‘The imposition of a ban for the maximum period of 15 years sends out a clear message that where a company director abuses a position of trust in order to persuade clients to part with their money, the Insolvency Service will take action to remove that director from the business environment for a lengthy period of time.’