A pensioner who embezzled £600,000 from his former employer has been jailed.

Robert Crawford, 72, stole the money over a period of 13 years while working in the annuities department of Scottish Widows.

A court was told Crawford targeted policies which had not been claimed between May 2001 and December 2014.

The embezzlement was discovered when Scottish Widows was contacted about a forgotten policy. An investigation discovered the funds had been moved to Crawford's account.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard the money had funded luxury holidays including a nine-week trip to Australia and New Zealand, and a journey on the Trans Siberian Railway which is believed to have cost £20,000.

After pleading guilty to the charge last year, Crawford returned to court on Thursday and was jailed for two years.

The court was told the money had been repaid in full to Scottish Widows.

Andrew Richardson, procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: "Robert Crawford embezzled significant sums of money over years of employment, using other people's investments to fund a lifestyle he was not entitled to.

"We will use all the powers available to us to prosecute those who would use their position for criminal gain."