Portsmouth Tinder swindler Richard Dexter yet to pay back £141,000 to millionairess victim after making application to court

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

But the fraudster, of Highland Terrace, was warned at a proceeds of crime hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on April 7 that he will have two years added to his term of imprisonment if he does not pay the money back within 28 days.

That deadline has now passed but Dexter was granted an extension to pay the money back by judge Timothy Mousley QC.

The new date when the money he swindled from his victim has to be returned is now July 10.

‘An application to extend was accepted by the judge,’ a court spokeswoman said.

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.

Dexter had promised to pay back his victim all the money in a surprising turn of events at his sentence hearing.

But at the subsequent proceeds of crime hearing last month to decide what he would pay back, the court was told Dexter had not paid back a penny.

Unrepresented Dexter argued for an adjournment during a fiery exchange with judge Mousley.

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 said he recalled Dexter’s claims at the sentence hearing in which Dexter 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.’

He added: ‘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 said: ‘If I am found innocent does she then pay me back?’

When asked about Albert Road shop Sticky Boy Donuts, the business he was previously part owner of with his partner Hayley Jones until he resigned as a director in March, Dexter said: ‘It’s barely scraping along.’

Dexter added: ‘I have nothing more to give.’

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Judge Mousley declined the adjournment and 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.

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