A JUDGE has given police permission to begin the task of clawing back the ill-gotten gains of crooked south Cumbria solicitor Stephen Ellis.

Ellis, 44, is currently serving a five-year jail term he was given in December last year. Carlisle Crown Court heard how he defrauded a host of clients between 2011 and 2013.

Among the victims of Ellis's fraud, between 2011 and 2013, were established customers such as Holker Estates, South Lakeland Parks and Russell Armer Ltd

Ellis was said to have plundered their accounts having created "wholly fictitious" invoices while he lived a "lavish lifestyle".

Ellis, formerly of Howgill, Sedbergh, had admitted 11 criminal charges - including nine counts of fraud.

READ MORE: Crooked south Cumbria solicitor jailed for five years

Handing down the prison sentence, Judge Peter Hughes QC told the disgraced defendant he had committed "out and out dishonesty".

Judge Hughes added: "In my judgement, the overall (financial) loss is only an aspect of your criminality relevant to sentence." The judge also banned him from being a director, or being concerned in the management, of any company for 10 years.

At Carlisle Crown Court on Thursday it emerged that Ellis had benefited from his illegal deeds to the tune of an agreed sum of £142,038.

Police remain committed to reclaiming assets from him. But investigators must wait until prioritised bankruptcy proceedings conclude before attempting to claw money back to compensate those who fell victim to Ellis's crimes.

In the meantime, Judge Barbara Forrester directed during the Proceeds of Crime Act hearing that the "nominal" amount of £1 should be handed over by Ellis.

Speaking after the hearing, DC Cath Rogerson, of Cumbria police, said the judge's ruling merely marked the start of ongoing attempts to reclaim any assets from Ellis. "It is an order that sits against him for life, and can be revisited," said DC Rogerson.

"It is not just about the crime. Our investigation continues long after his sentence, the Proceeds of Crime investigation is about stripping him of any assets and seeking compensation for victims through the confiscation order that has been set”.