A FRAUDSTER is behind bars for fleecing his fiancée by using her details to apply for loans and credit - and leaving her business on the brink.

The woman - who owns a clothing shop - needed financial help from her parents to keep it afloat after being ripped off by calculating Paul Mason.

Mason had his sentence deferred in January when a judge said he wanted to see evidence that he was paying back at least £400 a month - or face prison.

The 32-year-old failed to turn up at Teesside Crown Court last month and since his arrest he has been unable to prove that he has saved any money.

He tried again yesterday for more time to provide bank account details, but Judge Howard Crowson said: "There's a real possibility he's trying to con me."

Mason, of Saltersgill Avenue, Middlesbrough, was jailed for a total of 21 months after he admitted a series of fraud charges and harassing his ex-partner.

The court heard how he tried to talk the woman into not reporting him by vowing to disclose embarrassing details in texts, phone calls and emails.

Judge Crowson called the threats "an ugly aspect of the case" and told the conman a restraining order to stop him contacting his ex would last forever.

Peter Sabiston, mitigating, said Mason had never before been in trouble, and added: "The impact of custody will be a severe one upon him.

"There has been no evidence of him being in trouble since the commission of these rather personal and rather mean offences. I can't give any explanation as to why he went about what he did."

Mason forged bank statements to apply for loans in the woman's name, changed her online banking password so only he could access her account and also interfered with her post so she did not receive financial statements.

The couple were engaged to be married, but split up after a ten-month relationship when Mason “disappeared from her life”, the court heard on an earlier occasion.

The relationship ended when Mason failed to turn up for a planned meeting arranged between the pair and subsequently emailed her to reveal his deception, also apologising.

The loans included £6,500 from the Co-operative bank and more than £3,800 from online loans company Pounds to Pocket.

Prosecutor David Crook said Mason collected just over £10,000, but, including applications which were rejected, the total he applied for was just less than £20,000.

He admitted 17 offences including fraud and attempting to commit fraud by false representation, making articles for use in fraud and harassment.