Fraudsters who conned small businesses, schools and charities out of thousands of pounds have been jailed for a total of more than 15 years today.

The organisations were fleeced by Great Yarmouth-based Business Telecom Ltd, whose smooth-talking sales reps lied to customers as they tied them into long running contracts to secure lucrative commissions.

Its chairman, Christopher Boughton-Fox, 48, formerly of Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St Andrew, near Norwich, has been jailed for seven years at Ipswich Crown Court today.

Jonathan Parish, 42, of The Hills, Reedham, near Great Yarmouth, was jailed for five and a half years.

Neil Debenham, 28, of East Somerton, near Caister, was jailed for three years.

All were convicted of conspiring to defraud businesses and individuals between 2003 and 2008.

A fourth employee, Daniel Cullen, 28, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, had previously admitted conspiracy to defraud and will be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court at a later date.

Their victims included schools, charities and community groups, including Meadowgreen Dog Rescue Centre, near Loddon, Antingham and Southrepps Primary School, near North Walsham, and the Goat Inn in Skeyton, near Coltishall.

During the trial, which finished earlier this month and lasted for several weeks, 51 victims, including small schools and charities, gave evidence. The typical cost of a lease agreement that businesses were led to sign-up to saw them paying on average �21,000 over a seven-year period.