A conman who lived a millionaire's lifestyle by forging till receipts of shoplifted DIY goods and then demanding refunds was jailed for two years and four months yesterday.

Kevin Castle was making up to £1,000 a day obtaining repayments from stores across the North West and Midlands.

Nicknamed the “Millionaire Shoplifter” by police, Castle used a variety of disguises, posing as a electrical engineer, alarm fitter and property developer. The conman, who is 5ft 5in, even wore blocks in his shoes to increase his height.

His claims for refunds against stolen items, ranging from large items to very small household goods, began in 2004.

Castle, 43, from Nottingham, was caught by police as he tried to exchange a packet of doorknobs at the Homebase branch in Altrincham, Cheshire, in 2006.

Preston Crown Court was told that Castle would spend hundreds of thousands of pounds staying at five-star hotels and hiring sports cars. His crimes paid for the rent on a Knightsbridge flat, a 28-night stay at Claridge's in London and dinner at one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants.

Castle, who pleaded guilty to money laundering, committed his first fraud in 2004 when he attempted to obtain a refund using a fraudulent receipt at the B&Q store in Bamber Bridge, Preston. In 2005 he pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining property by deception at Homebase stores, with 35 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Peter McNaught, for the prosecution, said that, after the case, police tried to establish the extent of his crimes. It emerged that he was an undischarged bankrupt who had not been paying income tax and was not in receipt of benefits. Instead he was paid only £70 a fortnight as a shop assistant.

The investigation also focused on the financial affairs of his partner at the time, Elaine Rogers. “An examination of Elaine Rogers's account showed large deposits of money going in between March 2003 and April 2007,” Mr McNaught said. “These deposits funded a lavish lifestyle.”

Both were arrested on suspicion of money laundering in April 2006, and bailed. Castle claimed that he worked for the Ministry of Defence and Rogers said that she did not know the cash was the proceeds of criminal activity.

Three months later Castle was arrested in Altrincham when he ran outside the store after staff became suspicious. He was found hiding nearby and a search of his Jaguar uncovered 28 packets of Homebase doorknobs and a map highlighting 300 locations in the North of England and the Midlands. A complete till roll was found by officers at his home.

He was granted bail but went on the run. He was eventually arrested getting out of a hired BMW X5 in a car park in the village of Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, in February this year.

Rogers, 47, from Nottingham, was sentenced to a year in jail, suspended for two years, for money laundering. She claimed that she had become unwittingly embroiled in Castle's web of lies. She said that she believed him when he told her that the money flooding into her account came from his job as an electrician and a substantial redundancy payout. She has been left on the brink of financial ruin with debts of £17,000, and suffered from anxiety and stress.

Castle, who has 17 previous convictions for 60 offences, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to 11 counts of obtaining property by deception between April 2006 and July 2006. He asked for 76 similar offences to be taken into consideration. He also admitted one count of converting criminal property obtained by deception between March 2003 and April 2007.

Detective Constable Dot Walker, of Lancashire Constabulary's serious and organised crime unit, said: “Castle and Rogers have lived the high life for many years, living off the proceeds of crime. Castle has been able to fund a ten-month rental of a luxury apartment in Knightsbridge, London, dress himself in designer suits by Versace, Armani and Louis Vuitton, and dine at places frequented by the stars, such as Le Caprice, The Ivy and Claridge's restaurant in London.

“He has laundered over £100,000 in cash over the period between March 2003 and April 2006 and is now subject to a confiscation investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

Times Recommends

• An officer and a gentle woman
• Dame Helen Mirren is worthy of the Epidaurus
• Foods that can help to prevent swine flu