A "WALTER Mitty" con man duped a North Yorkshire woman out of nearly £56,000 as he lived a fantasy life as a football VIP, York Crown Court heard.

Jeremy Scott, 34, deceived television sports commentator John Helm, and others, into believing he was a top television executive or had contacts with golfing companies worth tens of thousands of pounds.

But he ran into problems when he took money from former York City player Nigel Pepper for tickets to the 1998 FA Cup final, between Arsenal and Newcastle United, which he could not provide, Chris Batty, prosecuting, said.

He repaid the football star, who is now with Scunthorpe United, by taking yet more money from Rosemary O'Brien, the mother of Bradford City player Andrew O'Brien.

O'Brien has played for England as an Under-21 international, and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.

The court heard how Scott showered Mrs O'Brien with flowers and persuaded her to let him live with her.

Jailing him for three years, Judge John Bullimore said: "You are a greedy man. You are a devious man. You are a manipulative liar. You are the archetypal type of con man.

"I wish I could pass a longer sentence on you than I am going to."

Scott, of Mill Court, Atwick Road, Hornsea, pleaded guilty to 18 charges of deceiving Mrs O'Brien.

Mr Batty said that as a result of Scott's actions his victim was receiving medical treatment for depression, anxiety and insomnia. She had lost virtually all her capital. Mr Batty said the total money taken was £55,750.

Most of it had been taken over six months in 1997 but some in 1998. It represented virtually all her assets and was the remains of an £85,000 lump sum divorce settlement.

Mrs O'Brien, who lives in Harrogate, only discovered the deception when she contacted the woman Scott had been living with before he met her.

Scott regularly got tickets by deluding those with football connections with lies about him working for television and sporting companies.

Through the victim's son he got to know Nigel Pepper, who moved from York City to Bradford City in February 1997.

For Scott, Bryan Cox, said the majority of the money had been spent on maintaining the "fantasy lifestyle".

He wanted to be loved and respected after an insecure childhood.

He had been in the Army for seven years from the age of 18.

Andrew O'Brien signed professional terms at Valley Parade in October 1996, a product of Bradford City's vibrant youth policy, and has since established himself as one of the Premiership's brightest young stars. He was man-of-the match in the Football League versus Italian League game in 1998.

PICTURE: duped - former York City player Nigel Pepper, who paid for Cup final tickets he never received.