FELIXSTOWE: A fugitive bigamist is awaiting his fate today after he was arrested at Heathrow Airport following a holiday in Hong Kong with his latest fianc�e.

Thrice-married Michael Whatmough, formerly of Felixstowe, was detained by the authorities on his 61st birthday.

The former Army chef appeared before Swansea magistrates who heard he had fled his home in West Glamorgan in 2005 claiming he had been hounded by the press. The alleged harassment followed his conviction for bigamy at Ipswich Crown Court in April 2005.

Whatmough fled after only completing four of the 180 hours of unpaid work imposed on him by the court in July 2005 for his bigamous marriage to his third ‘wife’, Carolyn.

She had met the father-of-seven through a singles’ advertisement in a newspaper. The pair married at Felixstowe United Reformed Church, Tomline Road, on May 5, 2001.

The former psychiatric nurse, who lives in Kesgrave, said he had told her that he had been divorced for four years from his second wife Melanie, with whom he lived in Norfolk.

Speaking after his conviction, Carolyn said: “He was a real gentleman when I met him. He told me he was an Army chef and that he’d only left the army when he was 40. I’ve since found out he’d only been in the Army for two years, so it was all lies.”

The couple met in December 2000 and after a month Whatmough moved from his home in Martham in Norfolk to Carolyn’s then home in Felixstowe.

She became his third bride, but Whatmough had not divorced Melanie, who he still claims told him they were divorced.

Carolyn and Whatmough moved to Norfolk where they took live-in jobs at the Norfolk Bowls Club in Unthank Road, Norwich.

However, Whatmough’s drinking - and arguments with Carolyn’s two adult daughters - saw him leave one morning without warning.

Following his arrest at Heathrow Airport last Wednesday, Whatmough appeared before Swansea magistrates, blaming several national newspapers for him absconding.

John Allchurch, representing Whatmough, said: “Mr Whatmough was being harassed by the press.”

The court heard that since the latter part of 2005 he had been living in the Edinburgh area with a new partner whom he plans to marry later this year.

A warrant has been outstanding for his arrest since November 13, 2005.

Magistrates remanded Whatmough in custody until his sentencing at Swansea Crown Court later this month.