A car salesman accused of conning women he met through lonely hearts ads out of thousands of pounds has claimed he accepted money from one even though she wasn't his 'cup of tea'.
Matthew Samuels said he only sent text messages expressing love for Nicola Bull because it was his 'way of speaking to people'
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On trial: Car salesman Matthew Samuels (pictured) is accused of conning women he met through lonely hearts ads out of thousands of pounds
On trial: Car salesman Matthew Samuels (pictured) is accused of conning women he met through lonely hearts ads out of thousands of pounds
ear-old also denied claiming he had cancer and an overseas property portfolio in an attempt to both illicit sympathy and woo the women.
Samuels, of Broadway Grove, Worcester, denies committing fraud offences against five victims, including a 77-year-old widow who allegedly lost £110,000.
The alleged conman also rejected allegations that he told Ms Bull he was wealthy shortly after they met on a dating website in March 2011.
Asked to describe what he said to Ms Bull after meeting her in person, Samuels said: 'I just told her that I had been divorced in 2008 and I had a girlfriend and it hadn't worked out, and I had previously been a businessman that had done quite well but was going through a transitional period.'
Answering questions put to him by defence barrister Abigail Nixon, Samuels added that his relationship with the police officer had been sexual 'on one occasion and one occasion only'.
The alleged fraudster told the jury panel: 'I didn't really find her my cup of tea but she was very nice to talk to and we seemed to get on well.'
Invited by Ms Nixon to explain the text messages he sent to Ms Bull, Samuels replied: 'I seem to love everybody, it's just my way of speaking to people.'
According to his account to the court, Samuels was given £650 by Ms Bull in two brown envelopes after going to her home, and given further funds on another occasion after being driven around cashpoints.
Insisting that he had not asked for any money from the experienced detective, Samuels said there had been no repayment 'plan' but he had offered to pay Ms Bull back when he could afford to.
Ms Bull told the trial last month that she had been 'extremely stupid' to lend money to Samuels after he told her his wallet had been stolen.
The Crown alleges Samuels also used credit and store cards without the permission of Ms Bull, who helped him to settle a £46,000 VAT bill.
During his testimony, Samuels said he had made repeated repayments to the alleged victim, intended to make other payments, and had been given permission to use her Marks and Spencer credit card.
'She said "Use this card, it's free at the moment." It was just use it as you will,' he told the court.
'She had a pile of money. I said "Are you going on a shopping spree?" and she said "I have got it for you".
Samuels denies committing fraud offences against five victims. It has also been claimed that he had a ‘three-way relationship’ with his wife and another woman, Anne Marshall (pictured), as he fleeced them both
At an earlier hearing, Samuels' ex-wife Caroline Morris, 48, (pictured left) claimed he had left her destitute. The car salesman is also accused of cheating mother-of-three Anne Ruddock (right) out of £45,000
'She literally dragged me around these cashpoints and said "See if you can get it (the VAT bill) cleared".'
The police officer was one of five women fleeced out of a total of £180,000 by Samuels to fund his lavish lifestyle, it is alleged.
At an earlier hearing the court heard Samuels allegedly ran up a £12,000 bill on the policewoman’s credit card then feigned cancer to avoid repaying her.
It has also been claimed that he had a ‘three-way relationship’ with his wife and a stable girl as he fleeced them both.
Giving evidence: Samuels, of Broadway Grove, Worcester, is being tried at Worcester Crown Court (pictured)
Samuels, who shared a house with the two women, is said to have left them destitute before embarking on a lonely hearts scam, allegedly targeting women online.
At an earlier hearing his ex-wife Caroline Morris, 48, told the jury she had to declare herself bankrupt in 2011 and her family were left living ‘like church mice’ with ‘no food in the cupboards’.
She said her finances spiralled out of control after Samuels, with whom she has seven children, got access to her credit cards.
‘He robbed Peter to pay Paul, borrowed from one to pay another and then I jumped,’ she said.
‘I wish I had jumped sooner … I supposed I loved him and wanted him to be with me … I put up with him.’
The jury heard Miss Morris, who claims she was saddled with £150,000 of debt, at one stage lived with Samuels and his young lover, a stable girl.
Abigail Nixon, defending, described the living arrangement as a ‘menage a trois’ or a ‘three-way relationship’.
Miss Morris later found text messages on her then husband's phone from 18-year-old Anne Marshall and became suspicious, the court heard.
She said: ‘I made it my business to go and see Anne … and say you can have him.’
Samuels went on to have three children with Miss Marshall and at one point shared a house with both women.
He moved out of the marital home with his lover after ‘jealousy’ set in between the women.
The car salesman is also accused of cheating mother-of-three Anne Ruddock out of £45,000 and widow Alfreda Roberts, 78, out of £110,000.
His trial continues.
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