'NatWest three' jailed for fraud

David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby, all 45, were extradited to the US under a controversial treaty 20 months ago and pleaded guilty at the US district court in Houston, Texas, in November.

Judge Ewing Werlein Jr ordered the trio to all serve 37 months behind bars and pay back a total of 7.3 million dollars (£3.5 million) to the Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest's owner, when he sentenced them at the US district court in Houston, Texas.

The judge said he was impressed by the number of letters he had received which vouched for the "favourable qualities" of the three men. But he said: "To finally regain that respect is going to involve paying back the Royal Bank of Scotland every dollar or, over there, every pound."

He added: "I wish you well in your future endeavours and I'm confident we will never see you before a court again."

All three defendants apologised in court during the hour-long sentencing.

Bermingham said: "My conduct in this matter fell well below the standards expected."

He said he wanted to apologise to his wife and children, and to the people who suffered from the consequences of his actions.

Darby said: "Clearly a long time has passed since this offence. At the time I didn't realise the implications of what was happening. I failed to take the right course of action and I deeply regret that."

Mulgrew apologised "unreservedly" and said his actions "lacked integrity".