AN ALLEGED gold-digger denied going on a spending spree in Mayfair with cash he conned from his former partner.

Bristol Crown Court had heard Alexander De Rothschild-Hatton squandered the fortune away in New Bond Street's exclusive stores.

However the 49-year-old, of Bowling Green Road, Cirencester, who was paid £50,000 in July 2005 by his former partner Christine Handy, and a further £105,000 in September, denied blowing the cash by himself.

He told the jury he and Mrs Handy agreed on what the money should be spent on, some of which paid for a convertible BMW.

Hatton is accused of fleecing Mrs Handy – who was going through a divorce settlement when they met and who later became the mother of his child – of more than £300,000.

He denies seven charges of obtaining money transfers by deception and three charges of obtaining property by deception.

The trial has so far heard he claimed he was the illegitimate son of Edmund De Rothschild and so heir to the banking family's billionaire dynasty, and that he was educated at Harvard, Eton College and Oxford University.

Asked by Michael Mather-Lees, prosecuting, about a payment of £75,000 into his account by Mrs Handy in 2004, the defendant said he had felt obliged to repay the sum in full by the end of that year.

He said the money had been a "gift", but he had spoken to an uncle from Singapore about his "dilemma" concerning repayment and he was given bonds to clear the debt.

The court heard that Mrs Handy, from Cheltenham, transferred another £50,000 to the defendant's bank account on July 18, 2005, after re-mortgaging her home.

Quizzing Hatton about how he spent the sum, Mr Mather-Lees said: "You wanted £50,000 because you were heavily in debt on an overdraft facility, then you went on a spending spree."

De Rothschild-Hatton said: "That's what it looks like, but it's not correct."

The defendant's bank statement revealed a series of large payments to stores in Mayfair after the cash was transferred.

The defendant said Mrs Handy had been to London, too, and could have taken the money from the account.

The court heard that by September 2005, Mrs Handy was £6,551 overdrawn, but transferred another £105,000 to the defendant so he could further his career.

He said the cash was more of a loan than a gift, and he was thinking about moving to the US and needed to research colleges.

However, the court heard De Rothschild-Hatton spent £70,000 on a BMW and £2,000 on alloy wheels.

The defendant said the car would not have been his choice and he had discussed it with Mrs Handy, whom he said was insured to drive the vehicle, too.

Later in September 2005, Mr Mather-Lees said the defendant was back in Mayfair and Knightsbridge spending more cash at stores including Harrods, Prada, Tiffany and Asprey, the Queen's jewellers.

Mr Mather-Lees said to the defendant: "Almost £20,000 went out in six days. Were you rebuilding your life then with that money or squandering Mrs Handy's money?"

De Rothschild-Hatton replied: "That's not the case."

Proceeding.