A loan shark has been jailed for providing loans to vulnerable drug addicts and homeless people in Gloucester.

The 43 year old man was jailed for eight months on Monday after being charged for lending money outside the Consumer Credit Act as he supplied loans with a value in excess of £1,000 to 55 vulnerable victims.

Alan Evans, of the South West Illegal Money Lending Team, described him as "a loan shark preying on the vulnerable members of our community.”

The man, who had been caught three times carrying out illegal lending practices between December 2007 and June 2008 had taken the victims driving licenses and bank books as security for payment.

In Bristol Crown Court, Judge Julian Lambert told the man: "Illegal money lending preys upon vulnerable people in society.

You acted in total disregard of the law and you kept on and on and on lending to those poor souls from who you would take documents as security from time to time.

You were stopped three times and still you carried on. To say you acted in flagrant disregard of the law after you were stopped is an understatement. Your offending was extensive and cynical, all be it of limited value."

“This sentencing sends out a clear message to illegal money lenders out there that we will robustly pursue individuals and put them out of business," added Evans.