Frinton-on-Sea bigamist gets suspended term for 'cruel deception'

Jason Hayter was given a suspended prison term after pleading guilty to bigamy

A man who admitted to the "cruel deception" of bigamy has been handed a suspended jail term and placed on curfew.

Jason Hayter, 48, of Kirby Cross, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, married two women in 2010 and 2016, without divorcing, a Norwich hearing was told.

His five children with the women were described as victims of the deception by the crown court judge.

"Two families were comprehensively deceived," said Judge Katharine Moore.

His bigamy was revealed by a relative through Facebook.

Hayter maintained the deception by travelling between one family in Germany - where he was stationed with the army - and another in the UK.

During the sentencing hearing, the court learned that after marrying in 1994, Hayter divorced and went on to marry a woman named Tracey Larkcombe in 2010.

He left Mrs Larkcombe in February 2016, the hearing was told.

His next wife was a woman called Sarah Hayter, whom he met in 2010.

They became engaged in 2011 and he wed her in 2016, while still married to Mrs Larkcombe.

The offender adopted Sarah Hayter's surname, and went on to have five children with both women.

None of the children wished to retain contact with him, the court was told.

Charles Judge, defending, described a man who was not able to deal with relationships in the normal way.

He said Hayter had served in the army for 23 years, leaving in 2014, before retraining as a paramedic with UK ambulance services.

He suffered from PTSD during the period of the offence, Mr Judge said, having been in combat zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia.

In 2022, he was diagnosed with trauma, suffered a stroke, and was dismissed by an ambulance service.

'Culpability'

Mr Judge said there was no financial motivation for his "double life".

Before issuing his sentence, Judge Moore said: "You perpetrated a cruel deception… at the very heart of marriage.

"Such deception has very far-reaching consequences. Such deception erodes trust and devastates families. Your culpability is high.

"I am not going to imprison you, but you came very close to it."

Hayter was sentenced to eight weeks - suspended for 12 months - and was placed under curfew from 19:00 to 07:00 for the same period.

He is currently in another relationship with a woman.

Bigamy is a relatively rare crime in England, according to the Ministry of Justice

Bigamy is a relatively rare crime in England.

Figures for police force areas across the East of England show an average of just two proceedings against alleged offenders were carried out between 2014 and 2021.

The numbers convicted averaged the same, according to Ministry of Justice figures.