A CON MAN who swapped a car following a deal struck on the internet stole it back less than two months later using the spare key.

Paul Welch arranged to exchange his vehicle for a Subaru and travelled from his home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, to the Borders to finalise the deal on September 29.

The 22-year-old told the man involved in the swap deal he only had one key for the vehicle.

But on the night of November 19 the self-employed plasterer turned up at the man's house in Newtown St Boswells, Selkirkshire, and stole the Subaru.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that Welch had been spotted loitering outside the house and the vehicle was driven off at speed.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley said the Subaru owner called the police and details of the vehicle circulated.

She explained that Welch had headed to Harthill Service Station, in Lanarkshire, later that night where he was involved in another vehicle exchange, this time for a BMW.

Ms Bradley said that during the early hours Wednesday, November 20, the Subaru was stopped by police in Glasgow and the owner explained he had just swapped it. He was able to give details of the BMW and Welch's e-mail and phone number and was later traced to an address in Gordon Drive, East Kilbride.

Sheriff Peter Paterson imposed a jail sentence of 168 days backdated to September 22 when Welch was remanded in custody. He is already serving a nine month prison sentence imposed at Airdrie Sheriff Court on August 20.