Callous conman Mark Gonzalez stole more than £10,000 from a workmate who had saved for his wedding day.

Lying Gonzalez said he needed £2,000 to repair his mother's gravestone and cash to buy his disabled father a false leg.

But as his vulnerable pal Perry Barbieri continued to hand over the money, Gonzalez had no intention of paying it back.

Instead, the money was spent on feeding his growing heroin addiction, Basildon Crown Court heard.

Gonzalez, 29, of Parsonage Lane, Laindon, pleaded guilty to six offences of theft from Mr Barbieri and an offence of jumping bail. He was jailed for a total of two-and-a-half years.

Gonzalez made up the heart-rending tales while he worked alongside Mr Barbieri at the furniture-making firm of Crown Wood, in Billericay. Yet Gonzalez had not seen his father since 1981 and although his mother had died of cancer in 1990, he was not planning to repair her gravestone, said Michael Holdcroft, prosecuting.

The conning lasted more than three months and Gonzalez eventually admitted to police he had lied to get the money for heroin, added Mr Holdcroft.

He said the defendant was no stranger to the courts and had convictions for assault, car crime, drug offences and shoplifting.

John Cooper, representing Gonzalez, said the defendant was full of remorse and regret for his actions.

Mr Cooper said Gonzalez was particularly ashamed of stealing the money from Mr Barbieri, who will never see it again.

Published Tuesday, February 19, 2002