An internet Casanova who conned four women out of money after meeting them on dating websites has been jailed for nine months.
An Ipswich Crown Court jury found Elvis Fair, 52, of Thurman’s Walk, Trimley St Mary, guilty of four charges of fraud by false representation after a trial. A fifth charge was left to lay on file as the jury was unable to return a verdict.
Fair, who dishonestly told the women he was a former RAF officer, businessman, and had access to a helicopter, had denied all the charges.
Sentencing the father-of-three Judge Martyn Levett told him: “Mr Elvis Fair, you could easily be described as a modern-day Lothario who presents himself as extremely attractive, attentive, gentle and caring.
“However, beneath your charming exterior there is a rather haughty, unfeeling, dishonest scoundrel.
“You cynically exploited women that you met on these dating websites. You lied about your history, your financial position, encouraged them to trust you, and then took money from them.”
During the trial the jury heard Fair had taken £2,820 from one woman for a holiday to New York and Hawaii, and £300 from another for a helicopter lesson from her daughter.
He also conned two other women out of £650 and £808.
One of his victims, who owned a hairdressing salon, said when she found out she had been duped she could no longer bring herself to work and closed her salon, and cancelled her shifts at another workplace.
The court heard she had said: “I just want to run and hide when I found out I had been conned.”
The woman added she felt lonely and hurt.
Judge Levett praised the women who pressed charges for their strength of character in coming forward.
He said: “For them it was a significant embarrassment in having to do so.”
The judge also said Fair had previous convictions for dishonestly using a credit card, shoplifting and acting as a solicitor for three months when he was not qualified.
He also has a previous fraud conviction for obtaining £50 from a woman through a dating site on the pretext it was for charity.
In addition to his jail term Fair must pay around £4,600 in compensation to his victims.
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