Keith Atkin defrauded more than 10 people out of a combined total of £100,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle of fast cars and luxury goods, Nottingham Crown Court heard last week.

Atkin, the court heard, operated through bogus travel and investment firms to trick his victims into parting with their cash.

One victim alone paid Atkin £74,550 as part of an investment scheme.

However, he was later found to have stolen more than £100,000, the rest of the money obtained by selling fake holidays to Lanzarote, Dubai, the Maldives and Monaco.

Atkin, said Nottinghamshire Police, used one victim’s account details to try to get finance on a new Mercedes. He stole nearly £2,000 from another.

The 53-year-old of Nether Street Harby in Melton Mowbray was rumbled in September 2016. A subsequent investigation found his offended dated to February 2014.

He pleaded not guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation but was convicted on Thursday (November 15) following a 12-day trial and was jailed for seven years.

Atkin further pleaded guilty to be undischarged bankrupt at the start of the trial, which resulted in him being disqualified from being a director for 10 years.

Detective Constable Chris Underwood of Nottinghamshire Police said: "Atkin embarked on an elaborate set of lies in an attempt to avoid the fact that he tricked an elderly gentleman out of his pension, ruined the honeymoon of a newlywed couple, a surprise birthday holiday of a life time and numerous other people’s holidays.

“It’s had a huge impact on his victims - one man, who thought he was booking a special birthday holiday for his wife, lost his job, pension and benefits. Atkin’s acts of dishonesty have changed his life forever.

“He only committed these crimes out of greed to fund his lavish life style of fast cars and luxury items. We hope the victims feel reassured that despite denying the offences, he has now been held to account by the courts and will be forced to think about his actions from behind bars.”