Adam Clayton’s former personal assistant was driven away to begin a seven year jail sentence today - in a prison van marked with the security number U2.

Carol Hawkins (48), who still maintains her innocence, was jailed for the embezzlement of €2.8 million of his money.

The mother-of- two was last week convicted on 181 counts of theft from the bassist’s bank accounts over a four-year period.

Clayton was not in court as the woman who had breached his absolute trust was led away by prison guards. She stared straight ahead as Judge Patrick McCartan delivered the sentence, trying to contain her emotions.

The Indpendent reports that Adams PA will get 7 years in jail which puts an end to the nightmare.

“Nothing, frankly, could explain away the scale of this dishonesty other than the greed in pursuit of a lavish lifestyle that was no responsibility of Mr Clayton’s,” said Judge McCartan.

He said the fact Ms Hawkins maintained her innocence throughout the trial was a factor in his sentencing and suggested if given an opportunity to commit a similar crime in the future, he was not entirely confident she would resist.

“These were crimes rooted in greed and nothing else,” he said.

“Whether she was a fool or clever person really matters very little.”

Judge McCartan said Hawkins believed she was entitled to the money she stole and criticised her attitude throughout the trial.

He said she contested the evidence and persisted in a “false belief in innocence” despite the fact a jury of her peers found her to be guilty.