Portsmouth Tinder swindler Richard Dexter yet to deliver promise to pay back millionairess victim - and could now face more time in jail

Southsea crook Richard Dexter, 38, was locked up for four and a half years in February after conning the woman.

The fraudster had told the Dubai-based businesswoman he had a ‘significant business’ with him backing up his tales of fantasy with boasts of owning a hot air balloon, private jet and expensive cars. But it was all a sham.

Dexter, who promised to pay back his victim all the money in a surprising turn of events at his sentence hearing, was back at Portsmouth Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing to decide what he would pay back.

But the court heard ‘charming’ Dexter, of Highland Terrace, had not paid any of the money back.

Unrepresented Dexter, appearing in court wearing a grey tracksuit, argued for an adjournment during a fiery exchange with judge Timothy Mousley QC.

The defendant claimed he had no legal representation after being ‘locked in a cell for 23 hours a day with no access to telephones or emails’ whilst on Covid restrictions.

During the exchange, Dexter revealed he had lodged an appeal over his conviction that was going through the legal track.

Judge Mousley, pushing for the hearing to go ahead, said he recalled Dexter’s claims at the sentence hearing in which he said he had £200,000 worth of cryptocurrency Bitcoin he could use to pay back his victim.

But Dexter shot back: ‘I have no access to it. Cryptocurrency fluctuates on a minute-by-minute basis.’

Judge Mousley said it was ‘difficult to adjourn because you are not being specific’.

Dexter hit back: ‘I have an appeal going through but the prosecution are looking for me to pay back £140,000. If my appeal is granted then theoretically you are putting the cart before the horse.’

Questioned what he meant, Dexter added: ‘If I am found innocent does she then pay me back?’

Pushed on why he needed legal advice, Dexter said: ‘I need advice on everything.’

When asked about his business Sticky Boy Donuts in Albert Road, Southsea, Dexter said: ‘It’s barely scraping along. It was only open for two weeks (before he was jailed).’

He confirmed the business was now in his partner’s name after he had been forced to withdraw his name after an accountant refused to deal with him.

Judge Mousley, declining the adjournment, said: ‘I see no reason why I should adjourn. The application is refused.’

After a short break, Dexter initially refused to come back to court until he had legal representation.

But after being summoned to court, Dexter said: ‘I have nothing more to give. I don’t know what you want me to say.’

He added: ‘I have nothing you can take apart from my shop which probably won’t last a month.’

Dexter then left the courtroom after saying he was ‘unable to be in the room’.

Prosecutor Robert Bryan went over the evidence provided to the court from financial investigator Caroline Grinter with reference to Dexter’s sentence hearing remarks about having £200,000 of cryptocurrency he could use to pay back his victim.

‘That information has not been supplied,’ Mr Bryan said, with it confirmed by Ms Grinter.

Judge Mousley added: ‘He has simply not engaged with criminal proceedings.’

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A confiscation and compensation figure of £141,466 was put forward by the Crown.

Judge Mousley, summing up, said he was ‘satisfied’ that Dexter had lived a ‘criminal lifestyle’ and criticised the defendant for being ‘disruptive’ in court.

‘It is quite obvious to me having heard the evidence from the sentence hearing when he took the witness box that he would repay the money after saying he had £200,000 in bitcoin,’ judge Mousley said.

A confiscation and compensation order for Dexter to pay his victim £141,466 was made.

He was given 28 days to pay but if he does not pay then a default period will be activated where interest can be paid and a two-year consecutive jail sentence can be added to his prison term.

Dexter was also told to pay costs of £8,000 from the estimated £16,000 the 21 hearings in the case had cost.