Conman who cheated women out of £40,000 posing as injured war hero banned from dating sites for life
Michael Brain told victims, including a 75-year-old woman, he was an injured ex-Royal Marine to con them into giving him money
A CONMAN who posed as an injured war hero to cheat lonely and vulnerable women out of £40,000 was banned from dating websites for life yesterday.
Charmer Michael Brain, 47, told his victims, including one 75-year-old, he was an ex-Royal Marine sergeant major waiting for a war wound payout.
He used the “carefully honed deception” to cheat £40,000 from lovers he met on sites such as Plenty of Fish.
Between 2012 and 2015 up to 28 women handed over £40,000 which he spent on bills, cigarettes, booze and gambling.
He also got hold of their pin numbers and plundered their accounts.
Brain, of Plymouth, admitted fraud and theft.
Many of his victims were in the city’s crown court to see him jailed for four years and given the lifetime ban under a Crasbo, or criminal anti-social behaviour order.
Brain had been jailed for 70 weeks in January for stealing £3,000 from lovers with fake cheques