Fanatical stamp collector steals £70,000 from churches to keep up three-tonne collection

But Derek Klein has been told to sell it all to repay his victims.

If he fails to raise enough money, he will have to spend up to two more years behind bars.

The unusual ruling was made at a court hearing which was looking at ways to claw back the proceeds of Klein's crime and repay his victims.

For 23 years, the self-employed accountant used his trusted position as treasurer of two churches to fund his addiction to stamp collecting and gambling by stealing £70,000.

The scam ended last year when he was jailed for 16 months and his beloved collection of 100,000 first-day covers, some of them mounted on card, was confiscated. It weighs around three tons and is big enough to fill a garage.

The prosecution wanted to arrange a bulk sale of the stamps, which would have raised an estimated £25,000.

However, Klein, 53, who has now been released from prison, was at Thursday's hearing at Norwich Crown Court and claimed he could make four times that amount if he broke up the collection and sold it.

After being told that Klein was one of the country's top five stamp dealers, Judge Peter Jacobs ruled that the stamps would be returned to him so he can sell them on eBay.

The judge, who is known for his no-nonsense approach to criminals, told Klein he had five months to prove himself, which could be extended if the scheme proved a success.

Otherwise, the collection would be seized again and he would have to spend up to two more years behind bars.

He faces an even stiffer penalty if he secretly siphons off any of the proceeds as it will be treated as contempt of court.

Judge Jacobs added: "If this man tries to cream off any of this money he would be a fool. I'm sure Mr Klein will have been told of my reputation and he will spend a lot more time behind bars if he tries to rip us off.

"He will face charges for contempt and dishonesty and he will be spending much more time behind bars."

Klein, who lives with his wife Rosemary in Ridlington, Norfolk, was jailed last September for pocketing the proceeds of fetes, gifts and grants worth £13,000 from his local church, St Peter's, and £57,000 from St Andrew's Church in nearby Bacton. He admitted several theft charges.

A court heard that in recent years he had blown £350,000 on gambling and won back only 10 per cent.

He was finally caught when the Reverend Richard Hines, the former priest in charge of the churches, became suspicious about missing money.

Klein, who has already repaid £15,000, hoarded notable stamp issues marking the silver jubilee of George V, the silver wedding of George VI, and England's victory over Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.

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Lower valued stamps included one celebrating Sir Alec Guinness's Oscar-winning performance in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Once he has repaid the £55,000 he still owes Klein can keep the rest of the money.

The Reverend Eiler Mellerup, who now takes services at the two churches, described yesterday's ruling as "welcome" because the parishes struggle to raise funds.

Klein said he was sure he would be able to raise enough money from the stamp sales to avoid going back to prison.

He protested his innocence, saying: "It was never my intention to deprive the churches of the money on a permanent basis. Unfortunately, my side of the story did not really come out in court because I pleaded guilty."