Worcester internet dating 'conman took woman's inheritance'

Matthew Samuels denies 11 counts of fraud at Worcester Crown Court

A man accused of conning five women out of nearly £200,000 in an internet lonely hearts scam took one woman's inheritance, a court has heard.

Matthew Samuels told women he met on dating websites he was "a millionaire", with a house he rented to footballers, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Anne Ruddock, from Ledbury in Herefordshire, claims she gave the 50-year-old £47,500 to invest, but he left owing £21,946.

Mr Samuels denies 11 fraud charges.

Wanting 'to die'

Ms Ruddock claimed when she met Mr Samuels through dating website Zoosk in early 2013, he said he could secure her a £50,000-a-year job with his company - but the job never materialised.

She told the court Mr Samuels took a chunk of her father's inheritance windfall "to invest", telling her he would "keep it safe" and promised to use some of the cash to pay off her existing creditors.

The mother-of-three said she felt like wanting "to die".

Mr Samuels, from Broadway Grove, St Johns, Worcester, is accused of defrauding five women, including a widow and a serving police officer, between 2011 and 2015.

The court previously heard the father-of-10 was adept at "juggling" relationships "to obtain money".

He is also said to have cheated Alfreda Roberts, a 78-year-old widow from Ipswich, out of £110,000 of the money her husband left her.

Mr Samuels is also accused of cheating his stepson out of thousands of pounds.

The trial continues.