A Financial Planner locked up for a sex offence this week has been axed from the FCA register and VouchedFor’s database.

Frank Cochran, who was jailed for seven years at Stafford Crown court on Tuesday, no longer appears on either site.

The adviser, who employed 13 people at FSC Investment Services and featured on TV interviews on Sky, ITV and CNN, was found guilty of assault by penetration, using controlling and coercive behaviour and putting a person in fear of violence by harassment, at Stafford Crown Court.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing a Taser, which he had bought on holiday in Florida, which the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he used on her.

The company and Mr Cochran were still listed as “active” on the FCA’s register yesterday morning and a member of staff at FSC Investment Services told Financial Planning Today: “All I can say is it’s business as usual, we’re still here.”

But Mr Cochran was removed from the register at some point yesterday afternoon, although he remained listed as the main contact at the firm yesterday evening.

All trace of him has been expunged from VouchedFor.

A spokesman for VouchedFor said: “We run exhaustive checks on all the advisers on VouchedFor.

“If we find anything that impunes their character we remove them immediately and that’s what we did in the case of Frank Cochran.”

An FCA spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the press reports yesterday that Frank Cochran has been sentenced to prison.

"We are actively looking into this and are communicating with the firm."

• Editors note: Story updated 8.49am 19/04/18 with FCA comment.