A CONMAN who made bogus door-to-door collections on behalf of the Asian tsunami appeal and pocketed the money was jailed yesterday.

Paul Anthony Jones, pictured, pleaded guilty at Caerphilly magistrates court to obtaining money by deception when he called at the home of Elsie Turner, in Newbridge, on January 5.

The 27-year-old father of two from East Pentwyn, Blaina, also asked for a further 16 offences of a similar nature to be taken into account - eight carried out in Cwm and eight in Newbridge, crimes that we reported in January.

In all, Jones took £49 intended for the victims of a natural disaster that claimed the lives of 167,000 people.

Prosecuting solicitor Chris Rose said the 17 offences took place between January 3 and January 5 - when public sympathy for the appeal was perhaps at its highest.

The court heard that Jones made the door-to-door collections while he was on bail from Cardiff crown court for obtaining a cheque for £10,000 by deception - a crime for which he is currently serving a 12-month sentence.

For separate, unrelated offences, Jones also pleaded guilty to two counts of handling stolen goods and asked for three counts of theft to be taken into account.

Stephen Thomas, for Jones, said his client, who has a long-term partner, two children and a mortgage, was made redundant from his job in December of last year.

"Admittedly it was a very desperate thing to do and a mean offence to commit, and Mr Jones accepts that," said Mr Thomas.

Chairman of the magistrates Vic Watkins sentenced Jones to five months' imprisonment for obtaining money by deception and three months for each count of handling stolen goods.

He was also sentenced to seven days for non-payment of fines and prosecution costs.

The total sentence of 11 months and seven days will be served consecutively to the 12 month sentence for which he is currently in prison.