Wife of Premier League club boss jailed for three years on tax evasion

But then she was released immediately on bail and is expecting to be leaving soon with her husband for the Beijing Olympcis.

Pojaman Shinawatra is unexpected to do any real time in jail in the near future. Dressed in a pale blue suit and a string of pearls, she still looked shocked as the verdict was read.

The appeal process could take over eight years if the case goes to the Supreme Court.  The defendants had 'lied, cheated, and conspired to evade taxes, which is regarded as a serious crime,' the judge said at the Criminal Court in Bangkok.

Convicted: Thailand's deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (L) and his wife Pojaman (R) arrive at the Court in Bangkok today

'The defendants are high-profile and wealthy citizens,' the judge added, remarking that Pojaman's husband 'was the leader of the country and she is obligated to pay taxes as a model for society.'

Pojaman, her brother and secretary were convicted of evading the equivalent of over £10million in taxes in 1997 through a complicated transfer of shares in the family's flagship communications business Shin Corporation that involved placing stocks in the name of one of the family's maids.

Pojaman, 51, was accused of conspiring together with her brother Bhanapot Damapong and her secretary.

Her brother, also received a two-year jail sentence. The secretary, who played a lesser supporting role, was sentenced to two years. 

Thaksin's spokesman, Pongthep Thepkanjana said: "Thaksin is not disheartened. They respect the court ruling but it is not the end. We will fight until the end."

In fact it is only the beginning of s series of cases now hitting the courts which have been in the pipeline for two years.

Thailand's Supreme Court decided this week to put Thaksin on trial for corruptly offering the Burmese military junta a low interest loan from the Thai government's Export-Import Bank in a deal to benefit his family's satellite and broadband business.

Both he and Pojaman are also currently on trial for corruptly acquiring land in the centre of Bangkok from a Thai government department at a third of its market price, something akin to Gordon Brown ordering his government to hand over 13 acres of Whitehall.

In another case Thaksin Shinawatra is also accused of initiating a government lottery, the proceeds of which were not properly accounted. As these cases are being heard in the Supreme Court there is no appeal.

With houses in Hong Kong and the U.K. and billons of dollars offshore many people in Thailand have expressed the view that they do not think Thaksin Shinawatra will come back from the Olympics.

But if he does, they say, he is already prepared.

They point to the fact that in an unusual move a recent Cabinet resolution essentially replaced The Director General of Thailand's Prisons, with the former Director General, whom Thaksin appointed.

The outgoing Director-General Wanchai Roujanavong is an authority on international crime and apparently corrupt politicians.

His book 'Organised Crime in Thailand' details how politicians play a major part in organised crime in Thailand, how they avoid tax, buy votes, and to a certain extent control the courts, while at the same time playing the role of benefactor to the people.

He said: 'I expected to be here for another year. But I am a civil servant I must go where I am sent."'