An accountant who controlled programme budgets for TV dramas Doctor Who and Casualty has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to 17 charges of fraud totalling £80,000.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Oliver Ager committed the offences 'in abuse of his position' with BBC Wales, and has since paid back £30,000 of the money he took.

A spokeswoman for BBC Wales said: 'When the BBC became aware of the serious allegations it contacted the police and began an internal investigation which led to Oliver Ager's dismissal in October 2012. Oliver Ager has since pleaded guilty to committing fraud and has now been sentenced.'

Ager worked as a production accountant on Doctor Who for 20 episodes in 2007 and 2008, while David Tennant played The Doctor. He then moved over to work in a similar capacity for Casualty on seven episodes between 2008 and 2012, during which period the programme moved its base from Bristol to Cardiff. He was also a director of an independent production company called Different Productions Ltd from December 2011 until October 2012, the month he was dismissed by the BBC.

The BBC Wales spokeswoman added: 'Since Oliver Ager committed these crimes the BBC has reviewed its cash processes and ensured that there is additional oversight to prevent a crime like this from happening again.'