A fraudster who posed as an ex-special forces soldier and multimillionaire cancer patient has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after swindling nearly £68,000 from his victims.

Joseph Gibson, 35, from Penbryn Nant in Ruthin, Denbighshire, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday. He had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation, and Recorder Jaron Crooknorth sentenced him to three years and two months behind bars.

Let me walk you through how this happened. The court heard that between July 2020 and October 2021, Gibson used false names, invented business ventures, and showed victims doctored bank statements displaying apparent substantial wealth to convince them to hand over their money.

In reality, Gibson had constructed an elaborate fantasy. He told his victims that he had served in the Special Boat Service, had cancer, owned yachts, and was worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

Two of his victims met him on the dating app Tinder, where he led one woman to believe they were in a genuine relationship. She was persuaded to send money for business opportunities, hospital expenses, and online trading, losing more than £5,600 and suffering what she described as "anxiety and emotional distress".

The financial damage to the other victims was equally stark. A woman referred to in court as SC handed over more than £30,000 after Gibson claimed he could generate substantial returns through trading. She got about £9,700 back, leaving her £21,000 out of pocket and "heavily in debt".

Another victim, JH, invested £28,000 based on Gibson's claims of being a successful businessman. She recovered £10,000, but told the court the fallout had damaged her relationships with her children. A fourth victim, a retired superyacht captain known as PH, invested £23,350 and reported a "severe" emotional impact.

During the hearing, Gibson's barrister asked the judge to defer sentencing, arguing this would allow him time to earn money to repay the victims.

The prosecution challenged that request, highlighting serious concerns about his credibility and his spending habits. The court was told that while hundreds of thousands of pounds had moved through his accounts, the money had been spent on cars and foreign travel, leaving victims with "significant financial and emotional harm".

Recorder Crooknorth rejected the bid to delay sentencing. The judge noted that while Gibson had no previous convictions and had shown some remorse, "deception was central" to his actions, meaning only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate.

Another hearing is set to take place to determine how Gibson can repay his victims. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.