George O'Sullivan, of Highfield Terrace, was jailed for nine months earlier this year by a Judge at Warwick Crown Court after admitting six charges of obtaining money transfers by deception.

But a hearing against the 43-year-old under the Proceeds of Crime Act was adjourned for an investigation to be carried out into his finances.

When it resumed this week, prosecutor Louise Pierpoint said it had been agreed that O'Sullivan's benefit from his dishonesty had been £16,130, but his realisable assets were just £1,150.

Judge Marten Coates ordered that to be confiscated as the proceeds of crime, and gave O'Sullivan just four days to find the rest of the money or face a further period of imprisonment.

During the original hearing, the court was told that victim Vijayi Bandi's company, Modern Medical Publishing, produces a magazine called British Medical Careers.

O'Sullivan was taken on in June 2006 to sell advertising space to health authorities who had been placing job adverts in other publications.

But between July 2006 and January last year he gave health authorities which paid by BACS transfer details of his own bank account.

As a result six payments of between £2,200 and £3,500 were made.

The offences came to light after Mr Bandi received a fax from one customer confirming payment had been made into an account which he did not recognise.

He called O'Sullivan to challenge him about it, after which his employee did not return to work - but did call to apologise.

When arrested the accused claimed Mr Bandi had threatened to sack him unless he made payments into his account as a form of tax evasion.

Police were satisfied that was not true, and at the earlier hearing Judge Coates commented: "It does not help to present a dishonest picture of an honest man."

Mr Everitt added that O'Sullivan, who had only £43 in his bank account when arrested, had a previous conviction for conspiracy to defraud.

Peter Freeman, defending, said his client suffers from bi-polar disorder and was going through a manic stage at the time of the offences.