A 77-year-old fraudster from near Penzance, who ripped off 23 clients to the tune of £190,000, was branded a 'thoroughly, utterly, profoundly dishonest person' by a judge.

Peter Walnes bought, sold and brokered second hand specialist camera equipment and vintage toys and watches.

The conman ripped off 22 victims out of £188,000 between June 2019 and October 2021 and was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for two years, in June last year.

But within a month of that sentence he ripped off another client over camera gear he valued at £2,880, Truro Crown Court.

But Walnes, of Rosudgeon, near Penzance, did not pay up and was back in court yesterday for breaching his suspended sentence.

Falmouth Packet: peterwalnes.com is still up and running as May 15, 2024peterwalnes.com is still up and running as May 15, 2024 (Image: Screenshot)

Judge Robert Linford said the suspended sentence will hang over his head for an extra nine months and ordered him to pay £1,500 costs.

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He told the court he hoped the losers of Walnes' crimes 'go after him' in the civil court to get their money back and added: "If and when he does this again I will throw away the key."

When Walnes admitted participating in a fraudulent business last year the court heard Walnes had robbed Peter to pay Paul when his business was hit by the pandemic.