A HAMPSHIRE jeweller who tried to con a vulnerable pensioner out of a £20,000 Titanic watch has been fined £2,500.

Kim John Webb, 41, remained stoney-faced as Recorder Nicholas Jarman QC told him he had narrowly escaped a prison sentence.

"If I thought you had cheated this woman out of the watch knowing it was worth £20,000 you would most certainly have gone to prison.

"I have had to think very hard about that but because of the circumstances I have had put before me today I have decided to impose the fine.''

Webb, who owns V J Bartlett Jewellers in Middle Street, Southampton, was convicted of ripping off Lela Hughes, 68, when she brought the silver Benson pocket watch into his shop for valuation. His crime only came to light when a disgusted colleague told police what he had done.

A trial at Southampton Crown Court last month convicted Webb of obtaining property by deception after hearing he told Mrs Hughes the watch was worth just £15 and took it in exchange for carrying out £35 worth of work on another watch. A sister watch had sold at auction earlier this year for £20,000.

The watch was inscribed with the date of the sinking of the ill-fated liner as well as the name of the Countess of Rothes, who presented it to crewman Alfred Crawford who helped her escape in a lifeboat.

Webb, of Hope Road, West End, gave Mrs Hughes no indication of the importance of the watch. But just 15 minutes after she left his shop bragged to colleagues about it being a Titanic watch. He later removed the inscription, claiming he could not prove its authenticity.

Yesterday at Reading Crown Court, Recorder Jarman told Webb that if Mrs Hughes wanted the inscription restoring he should offer to do it.

But Titanic experts auctioneers and valuers Henry Aldridge and Son, of Devizes, warned the watch should not be further tampered with.

Webb declined to speak after the case.

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