THOSE who gave money to Mr Tony Taylor to invest for them were undoubtedly among the biggest losers this year. To date it has been estimated that more than £2.5 million in clients funds have gone missing. But since few investors have come forward, most believe the total loss could be even higher.

The society of St Vincent de Paul had been unable to recover £185,000 invested through Taylor Asset Managers. The monies were part of a £0.5 million bequest which the society was using for the development of the Sunshine House holiday centre for underprivileged children, in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

It was specifically earmarked for an indoor playing facility, the building of which has now been put on hold. Following Mr Taylor's disappearance, it was discovered the charity's account was one of those which Mr Taylor ordered should be deleted from the company's records.

A total of £840,000 was included in a small number of files deleted from the company records. Four other accounts opened in 1995 and two opened this year were also deleted. The sums involved in each account varied from £10,000 to over £200,000. A further £700,000 was received from clients but never entered into the computer system.

And what of Mr Taylor himself. It's too early to know how much money he may have taken out of the country in his hurried departure. National Irish Bank sold his house in Dublin's Anglesea Road for £580,000 earlier this month on foot of a repossession order.

His wife, Mrs Shirley Taylor, however stands to gain some of the proceeds of the sale, with the bank understood to have been owed around £120,000. Mrs Taylor has indicated through her solicitor that she would apply to the court to establish her interest in the property. Who gets the proceeds of the sale will be decided by the courts.