TWO fraudsters who racked up £77,000 of debt in the UK with cloned credit and bank cards, have received custodial sentences.

Lyndon Puri and Kofi Adisi were not the only ones involved in the conspiracy but both appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.

Puri, 39, of Military Road, Canterbury was jailed for 30 months and Adisi, 36, of Forgefields, Herne Bay, sentenced to six months suspended for two years plus 150 hours unpaid community work having admitted conspiracy to defraud.

Puri had further admitted a shoplifting matter and Adisi admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage when he got the chance to earn money by claiming he had no previous convictions.

Martin Griffith, prosecuting, said Puri was the more important of the two and he supplied cards to Adisi to use.

Both had previous convictions and Dermot Keating, for Puri, said he was realistic about the sentence. Puri had difficulties with alcohol and depression stemming from the tragic death of his mother in a fire.

"He intends to address his problems and has made efforts to rehabilitate himself in custody," said Mr Keating.

James Dick for Adisi, described him as a foot soldier who gained very little financially. He is a family man and no longer a drug user and had demonstrated remorse, said Mr Dick.

Sentencing both men, Judge Nigel van der Bijl said up to £1/2m was lost each day to credit card fraud.

Adisi's sentence could exceptionally be suspended because of the mitigation put forward, his medical problems, his job and family obligtions and the fact the prisons were full.