Conman 'bled lover dry'

The court heard Potter got married while still conning Miss Dunn

A two-timing conman from Devon who "bled" his lover of around £33,000 by spinning her travelling tales has been jailed for a year.

Douglas Potter, 40, told his victim he was in various parts of the world and needed cash, but he never left the UK.

He was told by Recorder Martin Meeke QC that what he had done to 32-year-old Sally Dunn was "despicable".

Mr Potter, of Paignton, appeared for sentence at Exeter Crown Court having pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonestly obtaining a money transfer by deception, with 24 similar offences taken into consideration.

The Recorder told Potter he "bled" Miss Dunn of around £33,000 - some £14,500 of which was the subject of the charges - by "telling her a variety of lies and trading on her affection for you".

Many payments

He said of the behaviour of Potter, who married while conning Miss Dunn: "Your conduct was despicable."

The Recorder said Miss Dunn had made a total of 80 payments to Potter, none of which had been repaid.

"The effect on her of having to repay the money which you freely spent on drink and gambling is something from which she will continue to suffer long after your release from prison," said the Recorder.

Miss Dunn, who watched from the back of the court as Potter was sentenced, as did his wife, made no comment after the case.

Simon Laws, defending, said between 1979 and 1992 Potter had served for periods in the Royal Navy and Army, with an "exemplary" character discharge from each.