'King Con' jailed for posing as law chief to attract women

Paul Bint, 47, was found guilty of deception after pretending to be Keir Starmer QC and another barrister to win over two women he met through lonely hearts columns.

By the time they realised he was a fake he had conned one out of hundreds of pounds and stolen a valuable bracelet from the other.

In a 30-year career, Bint - who disputed descriptions of him as King Con and King of the Swindlers - has impersonated an aristocrat, a ballet dancer, a banker, a doctor, a playboy, a policeman, a property magnate and a variety of barristers.

He has also conned his way into free first-class rail travel, holidays at some of Britain best hotels and dated a former Miss Scotland, Nicola Ginelli. Today a jury at Southwark crown court convicted him of five counts of fraud by false representation carried out over three weeks in April and May this year. Bint, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.

Bint overwhelmed his targets, Penelope Edwards and Vivian Walsh, with charm and appearance of riches and success. He boasted of owning a fleet of cars, including one used in the James Bond film Goldeneye. He said he socialised with former 007 star Pierce Brosnan, was friends with singer Robbie Williams and had once been married to British comedy actress Sarah Alexander.

He had only been released for days from a prison sentence when he impersonated Mr Starmer. He also posed as another leading criminal barrister, Jonathan Rees.

Bint promised one woman a holiday in the Caribbean yet when he thought her affections might lie elsewhere he scrawled "bitch" on the side of her home and blamed his potential rival.

He was sentenced to 12 months in jail at Guildford crown court last year after convincing another victim, Renata Zepletal, he was Mr Rees.

Bint said his life of crime began at 15 to escape being put into care. He is believed to have committed more than 500 offences.

"It made me forget what the reality was, and for me it was a way of escaping. It always has been," he told the jury in his last court appearance.

He was today cleared of seven credit card frauds, and four charges of disqualified driving.