A serial conman who fiddled more than £40,000 from Britain's Energy Coast to buy a collection of luxury cars has been sent to prison for six years.

James Cox, 51, falsified a CV and invented references to land the £65,000-a-year role of finance director at the west Cumbrian regeneration agency.

He used the role to channel £40,687 of public money into his own pocket and splashed out on a plush Jaguar car which he then used to trade for other luxury motors, including a BMW and two Mercedes.

When Cox was arrested he was found to be living in a Premier Inn in Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset and following his sentencing on Friday he must hand over all property found in his possession to BEC. This includes a Mercedes C180 car, three mobile phones, a laptop and a wireless computer mouse.

Cox must also give up a set of silver Aspinal cuff links he was given by colleagues upon his departure from BEC.

The fraudster managed to acquire the cash by forging a signature to authorise a loan of more than £140,000 from BEC to a local company - but only £100,000 of borrowing had been agreed. Cox used the rest to buy the Jaguar car.

However, the law caught up with him after he left the organisation and police were called in by chief executive Michael Pemberton after suspicions were raised during a detailed audit.

Cox admitted two fraud cahrges and four counts of transferring criminal property.

It's not the first time that the conman has been before the courts and has spent two five-year stints in prison before for similar offences.

His most lavish crime was committed in the Reading area in 2000 when he defrauded a publishing firm out of £2.8 million so he could compete in Formula 1 GTR motor racing.

Operating under the alias of James Munroe, Cox even hired model Caprice and pop star Paul Young to promote the team and entered the racing series as a “gentleman driver”.

Cox was jailed for what Recorder Mark Ainsworth called a "planned and determined deception".

Speaking at Carlisle Crown Court, the judge said: "Any funds that are siphoned off [from BEC] dishonestly means a reduction of funds that are available for the community and for the regeneration of this area."

Paul Tweddle, defending, told the court that Cox was an "educated" single man with a degree in accounting and finance. He continued: "He has no assets whatsoever. He has no accommodation and as of his release from custody will be of no fixed abode."

Following the hearing, Mr Pemberton told the News & Star  that the ill-gotten property would be sold in an attempt to claw back as much of the £40,000 loss as possible.

However, he estimated that the return figure was only likely to be in the region of £15,000.

Mr Pemberton also stressed the need for "much more rigour" with BEC's recruitment process.

And he admitted to having mixed emotions following Cox's sentencing.

"Yes he has got six years but actually he has defrauded the communities of Allerdale and Copeland of £40,000. Yes I am happy we caught him; yes I am over the moon he has got six years.

"But I am disappointed that we are not able to provide the communities with the value that we said we would."

Detective Inspector Dan St Quintin, of Cumbria Police, said: "I welcome the sentencing, this successful prosecution was brought about by the hard work of west Cumbrian detectives working closely with Britain’s Energy Coast and Avon and Somerset Police.

"James Cox has stolen over £40,000 from a fund set up to help communities in Cumbria that need it most, he has put jobs and community projects at risk. He has used this money to fund a lifestyle he could not afford.

"I ask all companies and charities to be diligent when they take on new clients or staff. Check CVs, follow up references and report any suspicions quickly. Britain’s Energy Coast did this so we were able to catch COX. All reports we receive will be treated sensitively and seriously."