A man who stole more than £400,000 from his frail aunt has been ordered to pay back half of the money.

John Lamberton was found in guilty in 2005 of taking £410,000 from his late aunt’s stocks and shares. He was also found guilty of not giving half the estate to his brother and not paying tax.

The former policeman persuaded Annie Paul, 75, to sign her assets over to him to avoid inheritance tax but left the millionaire’s widow with little cash to live on.

When she died two years later, his brother inherited just £5000 from the estate and Lamberton, from Luthrie in Fife, fled to Spain.

He was sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty of the embezzlement between May 1996 and September 1999 and defrauding his brother and the Inland Revenue in 1999.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday, a confiscation order for £200,000 was made against the 57-year-old.

Lindsey Miller, head of the Serious and Organised Crime Division, said: "This was a despicable crime and a breach of trust carried out by John Lamberton against members of his own family. He betrayed his own brother and the wishes of his late aunt, to whom he claimed to be very close.

"He pretended to be a loyal nephew but his later actions revealed he had designs on her fortune. We are satisfied that this £200,000 confiscation order represents the amount of money available to us at this time.

"Today's result brings to an end these protracted proceedings. The message is a clear one; fleeing from Scotland, and investing in property abroad does not protect criminals from the wide ranging powers available to the Crown and law enforcement under the Proceeds of Crime Act."