A jailed economics lecturer has been ordered to repay £6,000 defrauded from Watford woman.

Franc Etu-Menson, 50, was jailed for two years for three counts of false by representation at St Albans Crown Court in November last year.

In a further hearing held at the same court on April 2, the Ghana-born fraudster was ordered to fully repay £42,000 he had taken from three victims.

Hertfordshire Constabulary said Etu-Menson, who had previously worked as a financial advisor, built trust with his victims by dating them and then offering legitimate financial advice.

He then told them he had set up a capital growth investment company and approached each of them for cash to invest.

He defrauded a 66-year-old woman from Watford out of £6,000, a 47-year-old woman from Tottenham out of £26,000 and a 75-year old-woman from London out of £10,000.

All his victims were single Ghanian women. There was initially a minimal return on the investments but these soon dried up.

Eventually one of the women became suspicious and contacted Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit.

Police believe that Etu-Menson intended to use the cash to fund a property portfolio.

As well as his jail sentence, Etu-Menson, of Turners Hill in Hemel Hempstead, has also been banned from being a company director for five years.

Detective Constable Katie Bish said: "Etu-Menson preyed on the vulnerability of these women. He spent years building up a trusting relationship with them, their friends and their families and even lodged for a couple of months at one of the victims’ homes.

"When these women realised what had happened, all of them felt incredibly let down. He totally shattered their trust.

"In all three cases, it was the victims’ life savings and they could not afford to lose that money. If they hadn’t got it back, it would have resulted in long-term hardship for each of them.

"I am over the moon that all three women have got every single penny back and he has been brought to justice. It’s an excellent result."