Bigamist caught out when he invited the same guest to BOTH his 'weddings'

Sadly, this small yet crucial detail escaped Randolf Edge, 54, in his haste to marry a woman 33 years his junior.

A guest who had also been at his first wedding tipped off King's Lynn Register Office in Norfolk.

Scroll down for more...

Bigamist: Truck driver Randolf Edge arrives at court with his first wife Edna Winkle - they intend to give their marriage another try once 'the future is more clear'. However, he is still living with his other 'wife', Patience

And a quick check of the records proved that Edge had tied the knot with 21-year- old Patience Carey while still married to his estranged wife Edna. He was quickly arrested.

Edge faced up to seven years in prison, but was let off with 100 hours' community service and a 12-month supervision order after the judge heard that both women had forgiven him.

He arrived at the hearing holding hands with his first wife and is now understood to be hoping to revive his marriage with her.

And while he is no longer in a relationship with Miss Carey, the pair are still living together as friends in a bungalow in King's Lynn.

Judge Peter Thompson said: "You consciously deceived a 21-year-old, many years younger than yourself, who was completely convinced you were free to marry.

Scroll down for more...

Caught out: Randolf Edge 'married' Patience Carey despite already being married

"You happily participated in a wedding day sham. A mitigating feature is she now has a friendly relationship with you.

"You are very lucky. The last person I sentenced for bigamy went straight to prison. You breached her trust and you breached the law.

"Do not treat anybody with this kind of disdain again."

Norwich Crown Court heard that Edge married his first wife in Lincolnshire in 2002. But the relationship faltered and the couple officially separated in 2006, although they remained friends.

Meanwhile, Edge had started dating factory worker Patience Carey in 2004, when she was 17. He proposed to her a year later.

It was when they married in her home town in June last year that one suspicious guest, who has not been named, decided to report the earlier wedding a few days after the ceremony took place.

Frank Ferguson, prosecuting, said Edge had concealed his first marriage from his bride-to-be.

"All her family were present at the service where he declared himself to be single," he said. "Somebody who attended the 2002 ceremony was present and contacted the register office about their suspicions.

"When he was arrested, Mr Edge admitted what he had done and said he was 'just going along with it'. He was separated from his first wife at the time of this relationship and it got beyond him.

"He was under some pressure to get married in the new relationship."

In a statement, Miss Carey said it felt like her "heart was bleeding" when she learned her marriage was a sham.

But she added that she did not want Edge to be jailed, saying: "I want to forget about it."

Edge's lawyer John Morgans said he was battling "bereavement, alcoholism and depression" when he married for the second time.

"He has an insight into the impact his behaviour has had on these two people and has tried to put this right now all parties are in the know," he added.

Edge, who admitted bigamy, refused to comment as he left court.

Patience's father Terence, a security guard, said she had failed to tell him about the illegal marriage and the court case.

"I am not amused," he added. "Patience kept it secret from me. It's very hard to deal with.

"It has been a great shock. I just wish I could sit in my shed until it all goes away."