Flashy builder Paul Long often bragged about the money he had stashed in bank accounts in Switzerland.

But the 40-year-old dad-of-three has now been exposed as a £300-a-week fraudster full of fishy tales.

A court was told how he hooked £4,200 from his girlfriend's father to pay for fishing tackle, and then tricked another woman into buying him a £700 TV.

Judge Heather Norton told him: "You are a manipulative and dishonest man and your actions have caused distress and misery to your victims."

Long, 40, of Margate Road, Broomfield, skipped bail when his trial was due to be heard at Canterbury Crown Court and was tracked to Switzerland.

Now he has been jailed for 14 months after he admitted defrauding his two victims.

He was also ordered to pay compensation to cancer victim Thomas Cordell, father of his girlfriend Suzanne, and Elizabeth Thompson, who he had persuaded to pay for a TV.

"You are a manipulative and dishonest man and your actions have caused distress and misery to your victims" - Judge Heather Norton

Judge Norton told him: "You were quite happy to keep up a flashy lifestyle telling people you had lots of money abroad.

"Well you can work when you are released and pay these people back within 18 months."

Prosecutor Kieran Brand said Long had been in a relationship with Suzanne for a year, during which time he had borrowed money from her father, which had been quickly repaid.

Then in November last year, she asked her father if he could lend them some money "to help a friend" with a fishing business.

They went to Blean Angling in December and paid £4,200 for equipment, which was taken away.

"After that Mr Cordell and his wife asked the defendant for repayment of the money and a number of texts were exchanged and excuses given but no money was forthcoming and eventually all requests were ignored by Long," he added.

Then in November, Long was doing work at the home of Ms Thompson, who had a TV, which Long said he admired.

The prosecutor told how he persuaded her to buy another one – promising to pay her.

Instead, he collected the TV when she was not at the house and never paid a penny, Mr Brand said.

Long has previous convictions for handling stolen goods, burglary and keeping money which had wrongly been paid into his bank account.

Kieran Moroney, defending, said being remanded in custody awaiting his sentence had been "a terrible experience" for Long.

He added: "He has resolved that he is never going back to prison."