A FORMER councillor who stole money from a youth project has been jailed.

Nasir Uddin, 34, of Cotswold Gardens, East Ham, looted about £30,000 from the Youth Action Scheme (YAS) between 2001 and 2003. He was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to 14 charges of theft at Southwark Crown Court.

Mr Uddin was chief executive of YAS before being elected a Labour Tower Hamlets councillor in May 2002. He spent the booty on luxuries and his own television company.

Uddin was disqualified as a councillor in June 2004 after repeatedly failing to attend council meetings.

Formed in 1995, YAS received almost a million pounds in grants to provide education and leisure facilities to local young people.

Tower Hamlets Council was alerted to criminal activity when an audit report detailed allegations of financial irregularities. The local authority cut all ties to YAS in July 2003.

Two other men involved in the community project stole nearly £16,000 and were also jailed.

Uddin's brother, Ain Uddin, 32, of Poplar, pilfered £10,000. He was jailed for 11 months. Shalim Khan, 30, of Wapping, stole £5,500 and was sentenced to 12 months.