An Essex fraudster who fled to Spain has finally admitted conning his victims out of £21,000 – four years after committing the crimes.

Norman Fowler, 39, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court this morning to nine charges of fraud.

Fowler, previously of Colchester and North Lincolnshire, had been wanted by police in Norfolk and Essex after he fled in 2014 to southern Spain.

He was arrested by Spanish police last year and extradited back to the UK to face trial.

The charges, which date from 2013, include offering items such as camera equipment, laptops, and Rolex watches on Gumtree and eBay, accepting payment but not exchanging the goods.

He had previously denied the charges but changed his plea to guilty this morning.

He was convicted in his absence of theft of camera equipment at Norwich Crown Court in December 2014 and jailed for nine months.

Fowler is due to be sentenced in October.