A TRIO of fraudsters who helped empty the bank accounts of wealthy customers will pay back just a fraction of what they gained.

Teesside Crown Court was told that Jamie McKee, Shaun Orton and Matthew Bookbinder only had “very limited” means and assets, despite the scam netting more than £150,000.

They posed as customers of Lloyds Bank, securing meetings with staff, and requested that accounts were joined with relatives.

Once funds were made available they were quickly spent on designer watches or clothes.

One “high roller” had £66,900 stolen and another had £84,630 “drained” from his account.

The victims were compensated by the bank, but the bank itself was left out of pocket with financial investigators examining what the crooks would be able to pay back.

In one of the swindles, North Yorkshire man McKee and fellow conspirator Bookbinder visited a branch in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, with the latter posing as a legitimate customer and the former claiming he was marrying into the family and wanted to join accounts to help fund a honeymoon.

Others higher up the chain orchestrated the fraud and bagged the majority of the money.

Amrit Jandoo, for McKee, said he was picked up by a BMW driver and taken to a shopping centre, told which expensive item to buy and then received £200 for the part he played.

At a proceeds of crime hearing it was determined 24-year-old McKee, of First Avenue, Colburn, North Yorkshire, had benefitted by £88,315 and had £1,124 in available funds.

He was given four months to pay back the smaller amount in compensation to the bank or face 56 days prison.

Orton, 40, of Oakhill Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, benefitted by £63,242 and had £210 in available funds.

He must pay the £210 within 28 days or face seven days prison.

Bookbinder, 46, of Andersons Road, Southampton, benefitted by £2,078 and had £751 in available funds, which he will have to pay within three months or be jailed for 28 days in default.

McKee, who admitted conspiracy to steal, and Orton, who admitted the same charge as well as fraud, are currently serving 18 month and three year, nine month jail sentences respectively.

Bookbinder, who was not present in court, was jailed for 16 months in April after admitting theft.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said that should their circumstances change or it was discovered they had assets they had not declared new confiscation orders could be imposed.