A Royston pensioner who admitted withholding £20,000 from the official receiver while bankrupt has avoided jail.

Stevenage magistrates heard that Terence Gould, of Pipit Close, had withdrawn the five-figure sum from his bank and failed to disclose his possession of it during insolvency proceedings in July 2013.

The 68-year-old was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, after he pleaded guilty to concealing property and making false statements in breach of the Insolvency Act 1986.

And chairman of the bench Brian Deal told the court that that Gould’s guilty pleas had prevented the case from being sent to crown court.

Mr Deal said the offences crossed the custody threshold as they were deliberate, for so much money and over a considerable period of time. He added that the manner of the concealment was not sophisticated.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Mr Deal ordered Gould to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £80.

The official receiver has the power to investigate a bankrupt person’s prior financial behaviour when a bankrupty order is made. For more on bankruptcy offences use the search tool at citizensadvice.org.uk.