Jailed: 'Seasoned' conman posed as cruise ship captain to sell fake tours

Jody Oliver, 44, who is originally from Powys, dressed up in a P&O naval costume to con victims out of £320,000 by offering cruise trips that didn’t exist. The swindler created a fake ID using the name Captain Jonathan Flynn Oliver.

The former police special constable invented names of fictional ship’s officers to convince customers he was the real deal.

Oliver used the money to live a double life, cheating on his wife with a long-term boyfriend.

Newport Crown Court heard his victims included friends who had put their entire life savings into one of his once-in-a-lifetime exotic cruises.

Father-of-three Oliver, from Powys, who has a criminal history for fraud, was jailed for six years after admitting six counts of fraud between February 2018 and January 2019.

Andrew Davies, prosecuting, said: “Mr Oliver was at the centre of an intricate web of lies and deceit. He was a seasoned con artist. He didn’t care who he hurt. He swindled and lied to those he professed to love.”

The court heard Oliver's boyfriend, Rhys Burgess, believed he was a top executive with Jaguar Land Rover and had no idea he was married with three children.

Former Hay-on-Wye Police special constable Oliver, who grew up in Knighton, used the Alma pub in Newport, South Wales, as his base for selling the cruises. He was in debt, lost more than £130,000 gambling and had taken out loans to try to stay afloat.

The alarm was raised with police when victims were left waiting for transport for a bogus trip on December 2018.

Oliver gained notoriety in 2004 after conning former world champion rally driver Colin McRae into believing Coca-Cola was offering him a £3m sponsorship deal. He was also convicted of a VAT fraud three years ago.

Matthew Buckland, defending, said: “He left a path of devastation. His life was spiralling out of control for a lengthy period.”

Judge Richard Williams told Oliver: “The motivating factor in your offending was your profound dishonesty and willingness to leech off those of your acquaintance.”

Oliver is facing a proceeds of crime hearing to retrieve some of his victims’ money.