A love-cheat lorry driver has been spared jail for bigamy after juggling relationships with THREE different women.
Michael Evans, 62, married a woman he met over the internet despite already having a wife and two kids.
But when the two women found out about each another Evans admitted he was actually in love with a THIRD woman.
Magistrates heard that Evans married first wife Amy Evans in September 1970 and still lives with her in Rochester, Kent.
But in 2011 he went on the web behind her back to set up a liaison with another woman, Ann Sanderson.
They decided to marry and set up home together in Ivybridge, Devon, after their very first meeting in the flesh.
Torquay Magistrates Court heard they tied the knot in June last year after Evans assured her he had divorced his first wife.
When Evans’ son tried to warn Miss Sanderson she was married to a bigamist Evans managed to convince her it was a lie.
But prosecutor Mike French said the trucker’s long-distance cheating was finally exposed when a third, unnamed woman, came forward and contacted Miss Sanderson.
Mr French said: “Mr Evans told Miss Sanderson he was in the process of divorcing in January.
“They married at Dart Valley Railway in the company of friends and family in June.
“Miss Sanderson was contacted by the defendant’son who said he was still married to his original wife. She challenged him and he said it was all lies.
“Miss Sanderson started to get letters from a third woman. They claimed he was in a bigamous marriage and also that he was in a relationship with her.
“Miss Sanderson confronted him again and he said he was still married and in love with this third lady and he wanted to be with her.”
In mitigation, Alan Parson said Evans, who still lives with his original wife and pays rent to her, had made a “foolish mistake”.
He said: “Towards the latter stages of the marriage, there were considerable issues.
“There had been talk of divorce, and he thought his wife was doing the paperwork.
“He met Miss Sanderson and things progressed extremely rapidly. They rented an address in Ivybridge and he paid the rent and bills entirely.
“They were together in Dartmouth and saw an advert with regard to getting married at Dart Valley Railway.
“They were told there was one weekend free in June and a special price. On the spur of he moment, they decided to take that offer up.”
Magistrates accepted Evans had not gained financially from the second marriage, though they said the two wives had suffered “considerable hurt.”
Evans admitted bigamy and was sentenced to a community order with 200 hours unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 plus and £85 costs.
