Company director Kenneth Crookes who plundered his 20 employees' tax and National Insurance contributions for six years is starting a four year jail sentence.

The disgraced boss used more than £1 million of the cash to plough back into his own office furniture firm to keep it afloat and was told by the judge he "was no businessman."

The court heard that employees from Reading Office Furniture Ltd, Caversham Road, lost over half a decade of pension contributions and after the 59-year-old company owner was sent to jail faced the prospect of losing their jobs.

He had admitted one count of fraud and was sentenced on Thursday by Judge Alexia Durran sitting at Reading Crown Court and she heard that Crookes embarked on defrauding Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, HRMC, despite earlier receiving an official warning from them following a similar fraudulent move to save two of his previous failing companies. Between 1995 and 2006, Crookes ran businesses that also failed to pay full tax and NI contributions for staff.

However, the formal slap on the wrists did not deter the businessman and he started up Reading Office Furniture Limited, in Reading, Berks., in 2009.

For the next six years grandfather Crookes battled to keep the company afloat and while being described by employees and friends as a "family man who would not only go the extra mile, he would go the extra marathon," he embarked on systematic fraud to the tune of more than £1m.

Prosecuting, Edward Culver said: "While he was not paying his staff's contributions, he continued to take a salary of £55,000 and paid for the rent of the building for the company to operate in.

"Because he has not paid their correct contributions, his staff will now not receive the same pension as they should have done, meaning they suffered a direct loss and HMRC suffered a direct loss."

Probation officer Sarah Harding told the judge: "For six years he ran his company but could not afford an accountant. He decided to use the employees' PAYE and National Insurance to put back into the business - which he did to save that very business.

"It is clear he has issues with problem-solving.

Gareth Jarvis, defending said: "These was no evidence from his accounts that he was using the money for any other reason than for the purpose of keeping the business going. There were no luxurious cars bought or expensive family holidays. This man did not live have a lavish lifestyle.

"His motive was to protect his staff and prevent them from losing their jobs.

"Many employees are willing to excuse his behaviour and believe that he acted for the greater good during a time of economic hardship.

"He has already paid back over £300,000 and is on the cusp of selling properties that will provide the HMRC with a further £350,000.

Sentencing Crookes, Judge Durran said: "It is obvious to me you have shown remorse and it is clear that you deal with your business problems by putting your head in the sand and hoping they will go away.

"You are a big-hearted individual described as a 'modern Mother Teresa' figure who would not only go the extra mile but would go the extra marathon to help your staff.

"You are a father and a grandfather but one thing you are not is a businessman. You are not equipped to to cope with the running of a business. Although you are no doubt the heart and soul of the business, you may well be the reason it fails and jobs could now be lost because of your actions."

"You operated your business like a family by helping people out and making sure your employees could take money home for their families.

"But families work on a budget and outgoing and incoming costs much match up.

"You stole from Peter to save Paul which is just not an effective way to run a business and you have taken money away from worker's pensions that they have worked hard to earn."