A former managing director of the HVAC controls firm Sontay, has been jailed for three years and 4 months after pleading guilty to fraud charges.
Stuart McSorley pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud by abuse of position and three charges of obtaining money transfer by deception.

McSorley stole almost £500,000 of Sontay's profits to spend on prostitutes who charged £2,000 a night, according to the Mirror newspaper.

McSorley was sentenced on May 5 at Maidstone Crown court to 40 months imprisonment for each charge, to run concurrently.

The sentence sees him serve a total of three years and four months in jail. He has also been given a three year disqualification under the Company Directors' Disqualification Act 1986. McSorley pleaded guilty to the five charges on November 4, 2009.

A statement from Sontay said: 'While present at the Maidstone sentencing hearing of Mr McSorley, we have noted the 40 month prison sentence and are delighted that justice has been served.

'Since the time of the fraudulent activities undertaken by Mr McSorley and his departure from the company in April 2008, Sontay has moved forward making several changes to staff and product. Most noteworthy however, the BETA release of the SonNet wireless range of product and the appointment of a new managing director, Trevor Palmer'.

John Zarno, Sontay chairman said: “These changes have strengthened our position as the UK market leader in control peripherals and environmental measurement devices for the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) sector and I would like to pay the highest tribute to every member of our team for the way in which they have produced such an excellent result from a very difficult starting point”.