A record label executive who stole almost £650,000 from Universal Music while suffering from a "serious medical condition" has been jailed for three years.

Duncan Schwier, 52, of Clifden Road, Twickenham, admitted conning the largest music corporation in the world with false invoices over a 12 year period.

The scam only came to light when Schwier was promoted and his successor, John Clifford, raised concerns about a paper trail of payments to non-existent companies.

The fraud, carried out between December 31, 2001, and December 31, last year, amounted to £643,697.35.

During that time, Schwier made payments to fictitious companies which, once authorised, went into his bank account, prosecutor Olu Phillips told Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, September 30.

Mr Phillips said: "As a result of interviews, he was then sacked by the company in July 2013 and it was agreed he would make some reparation of the money.

"He did make full repayment by which time, the company had reported it to the police."

Schwier claimed he spent most of the money on rewarding his employees and donating to charity after a serious medical condition, which was not disclosed in court, left him with "impaired judgement".

He said he spent £400,000 on bonuses and gifts for his staff, including an expensive guitar as a leaving present for one employee.

He also gave £100,000 to charity while suffering from ill health, which Lawrence Selby, defending, said caused him to act "out of character".

Mr Selby said: "All the literature [medical reports] makes it clear the person who behaved in that way was not the Duncan Schwier people knew and liked.

"He was totally unrecognisable from the man who appears before you today and that is a tragedy."

He added Schwier, who had worked for the company since 1984, did not spend the money on living an "extravagant lifestyle" and family and friends did not notice any difference in his wealth.

Judge Aidan Marron QC told the court a prison sentence was unavoidable.

He said: "At the end of the day, I am confronted with a serious breach of trust.

"Under the circumstances, a custodial sentence is absolutely necessary and it is as low as I can quite possibly make it, which is one of three years imprisonment."

Universal Music is the biggest music company in the world and counts Eminem, Jennifer Lopez and U2 among its recording artists.