A taxman who stole nearly £90,000 in council tax has been jailed for almost three years.

Between July 2013 and June 2016, Kevin Brown, 35, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, targeted residents’ council tax accounts that were in credit, most often in the names of residents who had died. 

Brown organised fake emails and phone calls to be sent to tax account holders, requesting balance payments to be paid to a third party.

As a council tax officer he pushed through taxpayer's payments and the stolen money was siphoned off.

It was found despite two previous criminal convictions, Brown had found work through employment agencies at Dartford, Sevenoaks, Greenwich and Leicestershire Council, where he committed similar offences.

On Friday, June 3, Brown was arrested, charged and remanded in custody.

It was disclosed in court that Brown had two previous convictions for fraud by abuse of position of a similar nature.

He had previously pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and conspiring to commit money laundering.

He also asked for three other offences to be taken into consideration.

Brown was sentenced to two years and eight months at Wood Green Crown Court on August 30.

Police were informed and the investigation was passed to FALCON, the Met’s response to Fraud and Linked Crime Online.

Detective Constable Paul Allgood, of FALCON, said: "Our investigation showed that in many cases the stolen money had come from council tax accounts where the resident had died.

“Payments that should have made to bereaved families were instead diverted into accounts controlled by Brown.

“Families dealing with their loves ones’ financial matters applied for refunds and were told the money had already been paid out.

“Brown’s actions caused relatives of the deceased extra stress at a very difficult time and I am pleased that justice has now been served."