A DISGRACED businessman who illegally diverted tenants' deposits to fund other ventures has been given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to carry out unpaid community work.

Brandon Weston, the former boss of Premier Places Lettings in Worcester and Redditch, should have ensured the cash was put into a ring-fenced client account.

But instead he used deposits from 203 tenants totalling £137,660, said Simon Phillips, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

His actions contravened rules laid down by the National Approved Lettings Scheme and The Dispute Service.

Weston, aged 42, of The Old Stores, White Ladies Aston, near Pershore, pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud between April 1, 2007 and February 28, 2009.

His book-keeper Chris Williams, 47, of Church Lane, Whitington, near Worcester, who forged an accountant's signature, pleaded guilty to three counts of forgery between June 1, 2007 and February 28, 2008.

Sentencing Weston to 12 months jail, suspended for two years, Judge Richard Rundell said he had taken prompt action to rectify the loss by selling his assets once he realised the financial difficulties he was in.

He was now bankrupted, had shown genuine remorse and had to suffer the impact on his family.

He ordered Weston to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and Williams 150 hours.

Mr Phillips said: "The tenants' deposits were supposed to be ring fenced but were lost. Mr Weston used the money to fund other businesses. The tenants were repaid through insurances."

He said Williams, who worked in the same building as Premier Places, pretended he was a qualified accountant by forging a signature on business papers three times.

An police investigation began in February 2009 when the manager of Premier Places' second office in Redditch discovered "a black hole" of £500,000 in the company.

Mr Phillips said Weston, who had a financial stake in the Glasshouse restaurant in Worcester, had owned seven houses in the city and a house in France. He recently sold his family home in Droitwich for £500,000.

Weston also sold the Worcester office of Premier Places to Williams and a co-investor for £430,000.

He made a frank confession to police, said Mr Phillips. Williams claimed in interviews that Weston had put him under presure.

Mr Phillips said Weston had taken "large amounts" from the letting business, around £8,000 a month plus £500 a month pension contributions.

Daniel White, for Weston, said: "He wants to put an apology on the record for everything he has done.

"Every asset has been signed over to the prosecution or sold. His life has been turned upside down. He has gone from being an award-winning entrepreneur to a bankrupt. He was running a number of businesses but the recession triggered problems."

Mr White said Weston had found himself another job, while his wife worked with disabled children.

Andrew Smith, for Williams, said the loss of his reputation in Worcester had had a substantial impact. He was now virtually a house-husband while his wife worked.

Mr Smith added: "To say he is ashamed is an understatement but the prospect of him coming before a court again is low."