Chartered accountant Badal Arun Hindocha lied to his internet girlfriend that he was dying of stomach cancer so he could swindle £4,300 from her.

Hindocha told Tina Mistry he needed money because he had missed work to attend hospital appointments, messaging her: “If I don’t solve this problem, I’m dead.”

After he received the money he tried to break contact with Mistry, but was caught when he went back onto the same internet dating website where they first met!

The defendant admitted fraud at Croydon Crown Court and was sentenced to 9 month in prison, suspended for 18 months. Hindocha was also ordered to pay Mistry £6,000 in compensation.

Defence lawyer Imran Khan said that the money had been used to install a downstairs toilet at his disabled parents’ home.