A HAYES man is starting a jail sentence for defrauding a woman of her life savings in a romance scam.

Qaiser Saeed, 40, of Botwell Lane, was sentenced to three years at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday.

During his trial, the court heard how, in 2013, Saeed had befriended a 39-year-old woman via an online dating site.

Over the course of four months, Saeed constructed a web of lies including claims that he was a single man who owned his own company.

He also claimed his bank account had been frozen due to him being a victim of fraud.

Taking advantage of the victim’s trusting nature, he deceived her into transferring large sums of money into his account that he claimed would pay his employees’ wages until his account was unfrozen.

In reality, Saeed was a married man with children who worked as a security guard.

The money sent to him by the victim totalled £47,650.

After he was arrested, Saeed fled to Pakistan in an attempt to evade justice.

Five years later, Saeed brazenly flew into Heathrow on a student visa but was arrested at the airport.

Det Sgt James Harbour said: "Scammers, such as Saeed, are skilled liars who weave a complex web of falsehoods to manipulate vulnerable or trusting people.”