Eight members of an organised crime gang have been jailed for their part in a £10 million identity fraud and money laundering racket.

Three men and one woman, from Sussex, received more than six years between them and a ten-month suspended jail term.

They were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court today after pleading guilty to charges including conspiracy to defraud, using fraudulently obtained documents and money laundering.

David Barclay, 42, of Sussex Square, Brighton, was sentenced to two years and six months, and builder Adrian Dubrey, 48, of Cow Lane, Laughton, near Lewes, received three years and one month imprisonment.

Paul Frederick Bridger, 51, of John Street, Brighton, was sentenced to ten months, suspended for a year, and 60 hours community service, and Megan Smith, 46, of Kingsley Close, Worthing, received 13 months imprisonment.

Four men from London were also jailed. Salesman Anthony Bridger, 50, and property consultant David St John Tunnicliffe, 38, both of Imperial Wharf, were sentenced to four years and eight months and five years, respectively.

Richard Andrews, 41, a builder, of Brewhouse Lane, was sentenced to four years and kitchen fitter Jonathan Ainsworth, 44, of Ince Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, was jailed for three years and one month.

Detectives working with the Identity and Passport Service and the DVLA, uncovered a web of deceit by the group over 12 months, which used fraudulently obtained genuine passports and driving licences to open bank accounts in false identities, the court was told.

The pre-planned operation to arrest the gang involved more than 250 Surrey and Sussex officers carrying out warrants at addresses in Sussex, Surrey and London.

Evidence was found at the home addresses but the bulk of records were discovered at three rented offices in Putney, which contained essential account opening documents such as false licenses, passports, bank statements, chequebooks and cards, with notes about the profiles of all the account customers. About £200,000 in cash was also seized.

Within weeks the extent of the case was established at £10 million of fraud involving 1,000 bogus accounts and 100 false identities.