Last month Steven Alexander Hunter of Abbots Worthy was convicted by a jury at Salisbury Crown Court for four counts of fraud by abuse of position of trust, fraud by false representation, false accounting and cheating HMRC of public revenue.

Following a complex investigation into the financial fraud, investigators found that over a five-year period Hunter stole money from green fees, tampered with a credit card machine so that it paid money directly into his personal bank accounts and even stole money from a charity event.

The court heard that Hunter, started working for the golf club in 1987 before becoming the head professional golfer in 1992.