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A desperate financial boss conned clients out of more than £150,000 to help pay for his wife's IVF treatment, a court heard.

Adrian Galliers has been jailed for three years after using the cash to help his wife give birth to twins.

The 50-year-old turned to crime after struggling for more than 10 years to start a family with his wife.

He was a director of Guernsey Financial Consultants but systematically defrauded clients who trusted him as a friend.

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Prosecutor Will Giles said one had known him for 20 years and added: "Three were long-term friends who trusted him implicitly."

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Guernsey Royal Court heard the huge expense of paying for IVF treatment prompted Galliers to commit the fraud.

Sam Maindonald, defending, said the offences were out of character and her client could not explain why he had done it.

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He had started to suffer from depression , she said, and was unable to motivate himself at work. She said this was coupled with the cost of paying for IVF treatment as he and his wife struggled to conceive for 10 years.

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She added: "The offences were carried out over a four-and-a-half year period of time. The money was used to fund IVF treatment.

"He always intended to pay the money back but it spiralled out of control."

The court heard Galliers was a director and sole signatory to a number of Rats (Retirement Annuity Trust Schemes).

He was working for Guernsey Financial Consultants Ltd when he fraudulently transferred a total of £157,150 from the funds.

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Some £136,550 went to his own account while the rest was taken from one fund to help pay off some of what he owed to another.

Police arrested him in October 2015 and he later admitted 10 counts of abusing his position as a trustee.

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Judge Russell Finch told him his crimes were ‘wholly despicable’ and warranted a jail term.

He said: "When all is said, this is no excuse for this type of activity.

"In effect, you stole their retirement monies. We will do all we can to ensure your victims are repaid."

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Galliers’ wife and twins have since moved to Ireland.

A confiscation hearing will be held in June where compensation for the defrauded clients will be discussed.