The Press Association: Ex-businessman jailed over luxury villa cons: "former businessman from south London has been jailed for conning families out of tens of thousands of pounds for luxury holiday villas which did not exist.
Andrew Viscount Ryder, 47, made £122,158 from 13 victims who paid for the holiday lets in upmarket south of France and Verbier in Switzerland. But the Old Bailey heard he had spent the money on drinking and educating his daughter abroad and was now in debt.
Viscount Ryder, of Essex Grove, Croydon, pleaded guilty to 13 offences of fraud by false representation. He was jailed for two years and a confiscation order made against him.
The court was told he had no previous convictions but was now unemployed and had debts of up to £15,000.
Benedict Fitzgerald, prosecuting, told the court the defendant, who changed his name to Viscount Ryder, had used five names and five bank accounts. Between March 2008 and June 2009, he had advertised luxury villas on three websites.
Holidaymakers were asked for substantial deposits before making final payments of thousands of pounds. One woman had booked a holiday following the death of her father and another family had booked flights.
But after receiving the money, they could not contact Viscount Ryder. The advertised lets, including one said to be the Villa Rouge in Cannes, did not exist, said Mr Fitzgerald."

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