An Aberaeron man who gained thousands of pounds through a catalogue of fraud offences has escaped jail after a court heard he was “consumed by debt” following the collapse of his marriage.

Dean Morgan Evans, of 1 Masons Row, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation in Cardigan, Aberaeron and Aberystwyth last year when he appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

Magistrates handed the 36-year-old a jail sentence of four months, suspended for 12 months, after hearing from Iestyn Davies, defending, that Evans had made arrangements to pay back the money, was truly remorseful, and had “found himself in a hole” after his marriage ended.

The court heard that Evans took £5,000 from Dale Howard and Albert Maslin on 17 July last year after selling them catering equipment which was never provided.

Evans defrauded Christopher Howells on 29 October of £2,500 after selling him white goods which were also not provided.

On 19 July last year, Evans gave a false name and provided a cheque from a closed bank account to Rob Rattray butchers in Aberystwyth.

The cheque for £185 for three legs of lamb bounced.

On Christmas Eve 2018, Evans paid for £130 worth of meat from T Samways Butchers with a cheque when he knew there was no money in the account.

Three days previously he had used the same trick at G T Tyres to walk away with £182.40 worth of tyres.

All of the businesses remained out of pocket until Evans appeared in court on Wednesday.

He must pay back the sums to the businesses in 28 days.

Mr Davies told the court that Evans had previously had a very successful sole trader business selling catering equipment, but his life changed in July last year when he returned home to find that his wife of 10 years had left him, taking their children.

“After that he struggled to cope and fully admits that,” Mr Davies said.

“He was frantic and inevitably his business suffered.

“He turned to alcohol and stopped going out to work. He then found himself consumed by debt and wasn’t thinking straight. He hit rock bottom personally and professionally.

“Mr Evans is embarrassed and ashamed of his actions.

“These actions are out of character.

“He made promises he knew he couldn’t keep in the hope things would get better, but they didn’t.”

Magistrates ordered that the complainants be repaid their money in full in 28 days after hearing that Evans had arranged a loan to cover the money with his mother.

He will pay back £8,197.40.

Evans was handed a jail sentence of four months each for the incidents with Mr Howard and Mr Maslin, and Mr Howells.

He was handed a one-month sentence for the other three counts.

Those sentences will run concurrently and are suspended for 12 months.

Evans was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £115.