A MAN conned his wife out of more than £50,000 as part of a large fraud in which he also duped his employers, customers and insurance companies.

Colin Jarvie, originally from Motherwell, began the scam from the moment he married Letizia Salaris, saying he was too ill to go on their Far East honeymoon, despite having paid for that and his wedding with his employers' credit card.

He took her £8,200 engagement ring to be cleaned but then pawned it for £2,000 before telling his insurers that it was lost and receiving an £8,000 payout. For almost four years Jarvie also stole the £1,000 his new wife gave him each month for their mortgage. In total she lost £50,400 to her husband who had expensive tastes in cars and clothes.

Jarvie, now of Lower Anchor Street, Chelmsford, Essex, pleaded guilty to seven charges of fraud and one of theft involving a total of almost £100,000. He was jailed for 27 months.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told him the most serious offences were against his bride.

"There you are, embarking on your marriage, and on the day of your honeymoon you conned your wife by saying you were not well enough to go," the judge said. "Then you started stealing from her, That is unforgiveable."