FAKE property developers jailed in their absence for a £1m house building scam are still on the run.

Jamie Colwell and his father Brian Colwell were sentenced to prison terms following a sentencing hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court in January.

The two men failed to appear at the court, and a warrant was issued for their arrests.

Both men are yet to be apprehended.

Briony James, Jamie Colwell's ex-girlfriend, did appear at the court and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

It was heard that the three defendants told HM Revenue and Customs they had spent £14m building new properties.

New build homes are zero-rated, which means developers can claim back the VAT on them. The Colwells and James claimed £965,421 over six years through companies Belgravia Construction Services South Ltd and Robert Lloyd Property Ltd.

It was later discovered the homes had never been build. The 'offices' of both companies was the bedroom of Brian Colwell's home in Hares Road, Bournemouth.

Jamie Colwell used some of the money to rent a £2.8m seafront property in Old Coastguard Road, Sandbanks.

He also bought sports cars and a speedboat.

James spent more than £100,000 on stabling, saddles and vet bills for her four horses, £40,000 on designer clothes and £38,000 on cars, including a Mercedes.

Jamie Colwell, 51, admitted two counts of fraud to obtain payment of VAT credit. He was jailed in his absence for five years and three months.

Brian Colwell, 75, was sentenced to 32 months in prison in his absence after admitting one count of acquiring criminal property.

A judge heard both men had turned their phones off in the weeks before the sentence.

James, 45 and of Bouverie Avenue South in Salisbury, admitted one count of fraud to obtain payment of VAT credit.

The Colwells were also disqualified from being directors of companies for 15 years and James for five years.

Richard Wilkinson, assistant director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jamie and Brian Colwell to contact the fraud hotline on 0800 788 887, or call police on 101.