A PROPERTY developer who conned people into investing more than £1m in a fake Greek property scheme has been jailed for seven years.

Bradford Crown Court was told Ralph Christie, of North Road, Ripon, used more than £600,000 from the frauds to fund his gambling habit.

A six-week trial heard the 53-year-old, who was found guilty of five counts of fraud between March 2007 and May 2009, had promised Michael and Kimberly Thompson a 25 per cent return on a £200,000 property investment in Crete.

When the couple later attempted to get their money back from Christie they were met with excuses.

Mrs Thompson said: "It was like we were in mourning, it was like we'd lost a close family member.

"Some days I couldn't get out of bed.

"We got so much back, but then the rest of it never came."