In the seven years since Olu Oyewole completed his degree in business economics, he has held two short-term jobs – as a hospital porter and serving at an off-licence.

But the 31-year-old did use his business acumen for one thing… helping to carry out a sophisticated mobile phone scam.

Oyewole went with a female accomplice to Vodafone stores in Dover and Felixstowe to defraud the company of iPhones worth up to £10,000.

And when his partner-in-crime was nabbed, Oyewole, who was keeping watch at a distance, suddenly rushed forward and snatched the incriminating fake documents from the hand of a stunned police officer.

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly said Oyewole then ran away leaving the woman to face the music alone.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how when police tracked him to his home in Alderney Road, Erith, officers discovered seven fake drivers licences – including one in his own name.

Detectives also believe he had inside help from someone working at Vodafone.

Now the judge, Recorder Jonathan Higgs QC, said: “You are obviously an intelligent man, graduating with a proper degree, and you have done absolutely nothing with it for a number of years.

“Instead, all you have used your intelligence for is to carry out a commercial fraud.”

He said Oyewole had used the woman – who received a suspended sentence at a magistrates court hearing – as a “frontman” to take the risks.

He added: “You were there to escort her and to supervise from a safe distance.

“This was a sophisticated fraud involving others, including having inside information from somebody employed by Vodafone and the systematic breach of its security systems.”

Oyewole was jailed for 18 months after admitting fraud and possessing fake documents.

He was also ordered to pay £500 court costs.