Greg Rutherford's ex manager jailed after conning long jumper out of £48,000 to fund gambling addiction

Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford's former manager has been jailed for 18 months after he fleeced the long jumper out of more than £48,000 to feed his gambling habit.

The Olympian said he was left "feeling sick" after trusting Gaby Stone, 34, but falling victim to his dishonesty.

Stone, of Edgware Road, Marylebone, was today Monday sentenced for 18 months at Blackfriars Crown Court after admitting fraud by abuse of position.

He pocketed sponsorship and appearance fees from the London 2012 hero and former Strictly Come Dancing star to feed his habit between 2014 and 2015.

Stone was the sole director and company secretary of GSE Management and looked after Mr Rutherford's commercial opportunities.

But he blew tens of thousands of the Olympian's earnings from live appearances and endorsements on his crippling gambling addiction.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard Stone's friends and family repaid the Milton Keynes born athlete in full as he sought help to stop gambling.

Julia Flanagan, defending, said: "He simply wants to say repeatedly to the court he is very sorry that he did this and he hopes the upset to Mr Rutherford is something he will move on from."

But in a victim impact statement read to the court Mr Rutherford, 30, said: "The thought that someone who had been responsible for a large part of my life and someone I had put my trust in to handle a major source of my income had been dishonest has left me feeling sick."

Stone admitted fraud by abuse of position and submitted character references from two Olympian clients ahead of his sentencing.

Jailing stone for 18 months, Judge John Hillen said: "One of your clients was the Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford.

"You and he had a written contract which was that you should keep 20 per cent of the gross income which you generated for him and he the remaining 80 per cent."