Leading Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was found guilty of fraud and given a suspended sentence of three-and-a-half years yesterday.

The verdict had been scheduled for next month, but the court session was abruptly moved forward to the day before New Year’s Eve, possibly to head off protests.

More than 30,000 people had signed up on Facebook to meet outside the Kremlin to protest at what the “unlawful” trial.

Mr Navalny and his brother Oleg were convicted of defrauding a French cosmetics company and given equal sentences, but Oleg’s was not suspended.

The court also fined them 500,000 roubles (£5,700) each and ordered them to pay four million roubles (£44,000) in damages.

Navalny was detained immediately after the hearing for breaking his house arrest to attend a protest with his supporters.