Fraudsters stole the identities of an insurance company’s customers and emptied policies of £750,000, a court heard.

Jailing five members of the gang, Judge Jeremy Carey said: "This kind of offending is high impact on the public and its confidence in financial services and safety of their hard-earned money."

Maidstone Crown Court heard that identity theft centred on innocent policy holders with Norwich Union Life and Pensions.

The gang were able to get enough details about clients to enable them to contact the company’s call centre and obtain more information to control the policies and authorise their surrender.

An account was then opened at the Halifax Bank in the name of the policy holder using a false address. False passports were used as verification.

The "boss" was Carlos Ferreira, 42, of Rookery Crescent, Cliffe, who was in touch with a "shadowy hierarchy".

About £500,000 of the £750,000 stolen from 23 policies was paid in the Halifax account and around £250,000 was withdrawn by those being sentenced.

Some of the cash was withdrawn from Halifax branches in Gravesend and Dartford, £15,000 at each.

Paul Romm, of Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, was sentenced to three years, Lisa Parmenter, of Ingle Road, Chatham, to two years, Caleb Darling, of Charlton, south east London, who was tried in his absence, to three years seven months, Alfred Stace, of Greenock, Strathclyde, Scotland, to two years four months and Kelvin Kemp, of Deptford, to three-and-half years.

Romm, 43, Parmenter, 38, and Stace, 41, admitted conspiracy to acquire criminal property between August 1 and October 31 2006. Darling, 46, denied the charge and was convicted with Kemp, 49, who has absconded and was found guilty in his absence.

Romm and Stace also admitted possessing a false identification document with intent. Darling denied the charge but was convicted and Kemp was convicted in his absence.

Ferreira and Raymond Gilham, 62, of Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, will be sentenced at a later date.