A crooked Kent businessman who roped in British diplomats and Army officials to help sell bogus "bomb detectors" to security forces around the world is facing years behind bars today.

Gary Bolton, from Chatham, made millions by claiming his GT200 and "Mole" devices could find explosives, drugs, cash, tobacco and even humans at up to three miles.

But the detector actually had its origins in a novelty golf ball finder and was merely a retractable antenna mounted on a plastic box.

Bolton, 47, baffled officials and potential customers with crackpot scientific theories to drum up support for his Ashford-based business Global Technical.

He managed to hoodwink the diplomat brother of Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman into offering his support while the UK’s ambassador to Mexico.

Members of a trade body linked to the British Army also helped sell Bolton’s machines to the military in Saudi Arabia.

One official at the Royal Engineers Export Support Team boasted the device was "the best thing since sliced bread".

Global Technical sold the machines for up to £20,000 each and at its peak was turning over £3m.

Scientific tests later proved the machines offered no advantage over random chance - but Bolton continues to insist they work perfectly.

But after a three-week Old Bailey trail Bolton, of Redshank Road, St Mary’s Island, was convicted of fraud today.

Judge Richard Hone QC said: "Clearly these are very serious offences."

Bolton, who claims to have post-traumatic stress disorder, will become the second crook to be sentenced over the scam next month.

Businessman Jim McCormick, 57, was jailed for 10 years in May this year.

He made £60 million selling his ADE devices, which allowed dozens of armed terrorists to sail through Iraqi checkpoints and launch suicide attacks.