A LOTHARIO fraudster who befriended women before stealing tens of thousands of pounds from them has been jailed for eight years.

Unemployed Peter Berry, 51, was dubbed Shrek by some of his victims due to his likeness of the cartoon ogre.

His web of lies and charismatic nature saw him dupe three women out of more than £68,000.

Berry who has used many aliases including John Smith, James Smith and John Keady, began his offending more than seven years ago.

He was jailed for five years at Truro Crown Court in 2010 but was released on licence in September 2012 and went to live in Sea Place, East Preston.

From there he set up profiles on internet dating websites and began searching for his female victims.

Within weeks he met the first of his victims in October 2012.

He met one of his victims through a dating website, one at a kayaking club weekend and the other was his next door neighbour.

He gained their trust and then charmed and manipulated them into lending him thousands of pounds for non-existent business deals.

They gave him £35,000, £18,000 and £15,000 respectively, and have never seen the money since.

Police have previously said Berry posed as a successful businessman, a world class kayaker, an international yachtsman, and a as a brave lifeboat man to woo his victims.

He even persuaded his girlfriends to lend him money through extravagant lies such as needing to help friends trapped in the Himalayas.

Whilst on the run Berry married another woman who he had met on a dating website. His wife has said she had no knowledge of his history and has not made any criminal allegations against Berry.

In January 2014, after his new activities came to the attention of the authorities, a prison licence notice was issued for his recall to prison.

Officers went to his flat in East Preston but he was gone.

It was clear he had been living there – there was post in his name, mouldy food, and clothes in the washing machine.

A VW car transporter found in the car park at the flats, registered in his name, was seized.

Police put an alert out to all ports and a media appeal was launched. He even appeared on the BBC Crimewatch Roadshow.

On October 10 2015 police received information the he was living in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, after he was recognised on Crimewatch.

Police went to the address and arrested him. He claimed they had got the wrong man and gave his name as Jonathon Jasper John.

But once at the police station he admitted who he was. He made no comment in police interview and stuck to his not guilty plea right up to and throughout his trial at Inner London Crown Court.

PC Astra Barnes, of Sussex Police, said: “Berry has once again shown that he is a very plausible and convincing thief. He has a perverse skill in identifying women who have independent means and savings, but who can still be vulnerable to his specious charm. We are glad that the court has recognised the seriousness of his repeated offending.”