A convicted fraudster who stalked a leading criminal barrister has been jailed for five years.

Jason Place, 46, of Romulus Road, Gravesend, was found guilty of harassment at a London court.

He was accused of stalking Jo Sidhu QC, causing serious alarm or distress.

Mr Sidhu is a leading specialist in criminal law with particular expertise in terrorism cases, homicides and conspiracies involving frauds, robberies and drug trafficking.

He is also the elected president of the Society of Asian Lawyers and vice chairman of the Bar Council's equality and diversity committee.

Place was also convicted at the Inner London Crown Court in Southwark of fraud and 10 offences of failing to comply with a serious crime prevention order.

He was sentenced to a total of five years.

Place was arrested by the Met Police's Organised Crime Command after his criminal behaviour was detected by officers who had been monitoring him as part of his serious crime prevention order.

He was previously jailed for six years and four months in 2012 for his part in a complex fraud involving the sale of fake identities.

Place operated from the comfort of his Alicante villa in Spain, with employees working on the website Confidential Access to sell innocent victims' identities.

A police operation lasting some two-and-a-half years revealed a well-practised production line of authentic-looking documents.

Many were bundled together and sold as full credit profiles, which included wage slips, credit history printouts and a postal address - making it possible for the customers to defraud companies of thousands of pounds.

Some of the 11,000 clients who used the company's services went on to commit fraud of their own, which in some cases totalled more than £1 million.

Place was one of six men jailed for a catalogue of fraud offences.