James Paul Fletcher

A 51-year-old Shropshire man today admitted being a bigamist.

James Fletcher left a trail of devastation on both sides of the Atlantic when he left two women high and dry both financially and emotionally.

The Shrewsbury man left wife Sarah Anne Whalley in July 1996 after 12 years of marriage, saddling her with massive debts before jetting off to create a new life in the United States.

He then married American Margaret Mary Peters without divorcing after giving his new love a sob story in which he claimed his wife was dead.

He concocted a tale of how he had saved Ms Whalley from an abusive relationship as he went on a charm offensive.

Ms Whalley, who was Fletcher’s second wife, was left in the UK to pick up the pieces after his departure.

The full scale of Fletcher’s deception came to light at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court today.

Miss Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said that one day in July 1996 Fletcher failed to return home from work, leaving

Ms Whalley fearing the worst until a card arrived from him a few days later saying he “had to go” and claiming his assets would clear their debts. They did not.

Fletcher and Ms Peters married four months later in Geneva, New York, with his bride blissfully unaware of the mess he had left behind. Fletcher landed a top digital photography job at a school in Rushmore, New York, and worked there until he lost his job in 2005.

Sarah Whalley

He then borrowed 6,000 dollars from one of Ms Peters’s friends to set up a photography and computer business, which failed shortly afterwards. He refused to pay off the outstanding debts.

Miss Lovegrove said: “He owed a huge amount of money and filed for bankruptcy.

“In October 2008 he told Margaret he had been invited to speak at a convention in London. He did not return.

“She contacted the people who organised the convention who said they had never heard of the defendant.”

The court heard Ms Peters was left penniless and homeless, even having to cash in her life insurance policy in order to pay some of the debts.

She later learned through Facebook that Fletcher was not coming back and found out that he had been married to Ms Whalley when he tied the knot with her 12 years earlier.

Magistrates today declined jurisdiction in the case and Fletcher is to be sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Fletcher, who was granted unconditional bail after admitting a charge of bigamy, refused to comment as he left court.
Divorce

Speaking outside, Ms Whalley said Fletcher had committed his deception without a care in the world.

She said when Fletcher left he took her car and left it in a premium rate airport car park. He even paid for his plane ticket to America using her credit card.

A year later, realising he was not coming back, she began divorce proceedings before it was finally granted in 1999.

She said: “He deserves punishment for the devastation he has left behind and he doesn’t care. He has no feelings or remorse.”