John Eric Wells, a decorator from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, earned the title Casanova after he spun a web of lies telling women he had won the lottery
The man is still on the run
Police are still on the hunt for a cheeky swindler accused of fleecing three grannies out of £400,000 – nearly 20 years after he was put away for an £8.4million lottery scam.
Eric Wells first hit the headlines back in 1999 when he fibbed to his wife about landing a mammoth lotto win, all in a desperate effort to rescue his failing marriage. Under the alias Howard Walmsley, the then 43-year-old painter and decorator Wells spun tales of a promised £300,000 farmhouse, duping banks, a solicitor, an architect, and a car dealership along the way in an elaborate quest for cash.
After being found guilty of nicking at least £37,000 from 1997 to 1999, Wells, described by his barrister as someone with an “impulsive, risk-taking personality”, ended up behind bars for three years.
Wells and his wife Kathy in September 2001(Image: Press Association)
Fast forward nearly two decades, and the old fraudster, who inspired the flick ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ starring Martin Kemp and Michelle Collin, is now dodging detectives again after three senior ladies pointed the finger at him for siphoning off their life savings.
One of Wells’s supposed targets, the 70 year old Hazel Wilkins from Rusper, West Sussex, bitterly recounted to the Daily Mirror back in 2019: “That man has ruined my life and who knows how many others.
Conman John Eric Wells with victim Hazel Wilkins at her daughter’s wedding(Image: Tim Merry)
“I had a lovely family home, a great job and I was happy when I met him. Now I have nothing and I will never be happy again. It’s too late to get back what he has taken from me.
“I worked really hard for nearly 50 years. He took everything away from me in three. I hate him so much.
“I think what he has done to me and my family every second of every day. He is the devil incarnate to me.”
Rumour has it he’s still somewhere in Asia(Image: South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
Wells is accused of nicking more than £400,000 from his three victims, with the alleged scams dating back to September 2014.
South Yorkshire Police have recently released a snap of the now fugitive, who will now be around 65 years old, and are urging the public to dish any dirt they have on him.
They said: “Officers are asking for your help to find wanted man John Eric Wells. The offences are reported to have taken place from September 2014 onwards.
The bloke targeted vulnerable victims(Image: Tim Merry)
“The victims lived in locations including Doncaster, Sussex and London. Police would like to hear from anyone who has seen or spoken to Wells recently.
“It is possible Wells is currently living outside the UK.”