A CONMAN who stole almost £100,000 after exploiting a bank loophole spent some of the spoils on a face tattoo and a couple of expensive cars.

Computer hacker James Ejankowski didn't have a penny to his name but used crooked software which meant he could transfer notional sums of money between his current and savings accounts.

For one hour - between midnight and 1am - the jobless 26-year-old was able to transfer over a 'non-existent' £99,000 from the Clydesdale/Yorkshire Bank into his account.

The bank has since reviewed its security procedures to close the loophole.

Ejankowksi, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, then funnelled the money through his partner’s bank account – spending thousands on face tattoos, a Range Rover and a BMW.

Prosecutor Shaun Dryden told Teesside Crown Court: “For that one hour there was a credit balance in his account even though he did not have any money.”

He then transferred £53,399 to his partner Charlotte Slater’s bank, and moved £1,362 to his father-in-law’s account which was passed on to other relatives and also used to pay off debts.

He told his father-in-law he had won the money on a scratch-card, but later handed himself in to police and confessed to his crimes.

Mr Dryden said that £34,000 has been recovered and the actual loss was just under £100,000.

Ejankowksi said initially his savings account had been credited by mistake and that he informed the bank, but then realised he was able to take advantage of the one-hour glitch in the system.

He transferred money to his father-in-law and his partner, and told his girlfriend that he had an overdraft with the bank.

Out of the £99,000 he said he only had £40 left, and told police he had bought a BMW and a Range Rover.

He said that he had given a couple of thousand pounds to his aunt, and told his partner and his father-in-law that he had won the money on a scratch-card.

When Slater was interviewed she said that her boyfriend controlled all the money coming into the household, and admitted she knew he had a previous fraud conviction.

Andrew Turton, for Ejankowksi disputed that it was a sophisticated fraud and that Ejankowksi was bound to be found out.

“He thought it would be a good thing to do to have tattoos all over his face and that is what he did, and he will have to live with that for now," said the lawyer.

Michael Taylor, for Slater, said she was left with a baby and would have to apply for benefits while Ejankowski was in prison.

The judge said that the worst aspect of the case was that he had involved others, particularly his partner, and he had already served a community punishment for the previous fraud.

Ejankowski, now living in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was jailed for 16 months after he pleaded guilty to fraud, and Slater of the same addresses, was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, after she admitted acquiring criminal property.