POLICE could be faced with a raft of fresh complaints as a serial conman was jailed for ruining the lives of three wealthy women and their families.

Detectives believe that there could be many more victims of life-long fraudster Jonathan Price who have not come forward.

Price posed as a multi-millionaire former SAS hero with terminal cancer - when the truth was he was a penniless trickster enjoying a jet-set lifestyle with other people's money.

The 41-year-old love-rat used cash from one victim to wine and dine the next as he romanced all three - all of whom he met on a "sugar daddy" dating website - at the same time.

His lies were exposed when one woman's family, who live on the outskirts of Darlington, began to doubt the fanciful stories about his wealth and health, and contacted the police.

Jailing him for seven years at Teesside Crown Court today (Tuesday, May 21), Judge Howard Crowson described Price as "thoroughly dishonest".

The conman claimed to live in Britain's costliest neighbourhood, Sandbanks, Dorset and boasted about being a close friend of the exiled Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead in the bathroom of his ex-wife's mansion in Ascot in March.

A source close to the case said: "It seems the man simply cannot tell the truth. He's spent the best part of his adult life lying and defrauding.

"Even while he was cheating these women and their families, he was on the website targeting others who might well have been victims had he not been caught.

"There is little doubt that there will be others out there - who knows where - who have been a victim of this man and his devious and deceitful ways."

Judge Crowson said Price had groomed other potential targets, and told him: "You have a record of fraud offences and theft which suggest you regarded this as a way of life.

"You are, essentially, a selfish man with no sense of decency . . . you have made a living out of preying on the vulnerability of women seeking love and companionship.

"You have taken a great deal more than money from these people. Your deceit drew in their families and they have to live with the guilt of that.

"People acting with caring and charitable motives, and you simply played on their good nature . . . the effect upon your victims has been vast."

Peter Sabiston, mitigating, admitted Price's crimes had devastated his victims and his record was terrible, but said: "he is sorry for the damage he has caused."

He added: "He had caused a lot of hardship to those he was very close to. . . he will never be in a position to repay those monies, and the will be a long period of rehabilitation.

"This was a man who was living a lifestyle that was an imaginary one . . . he is a man who does have that Walter Mitty lifestyle and has used other people's money to fund it."

Price admitted 15 charges of fraud and one of theft between 2010 and last May, which amounted to more than £172,000 - including £80,000 from the County Durham family.

He said he had terminal cancer and needed the money to pay for trips to London for scans and treatment - but really used it to wine and dine other women, the court heard.

Prosecutor Adrian Dent said Price has been convicted seven times over the last 20 years for dishonesty, and has served four prison sentences.