A former government Minister read out an emotional victim impact statement in court as her ex-husband was jailed for fraud and perjury.

Kate Costain, who was MHK for Douglas South between 2011 and 2020 and Health Minister from 2016 to 2018, told the Court of General Gaol Delivery: ‘During our marriage I trusted Mr Beecroft - only during divorce proceedings did I realise the extent of his lies and duplicity. ‘

She said that ‘realising the man I had married could lie, deceive and commit such criminal acts’ had caused her distress and affected her confidence and her health.

Anthony Beecroft, 82, of King Edward Road, Onchan, was jailed for a total of 54 months after admitting fraud by false representation and two counts of perjury.

Deemster Graeme Cook said he had shown a ‘complete lack of remorse’ over his actions in unlawfully selling land and property in Madeira without Ms Costain’s knowledge or consent - and then trying to cover up his criminality by swearing a false affidavit.

Deemster Cook praised Ms Costain for her courage in reading out her victim impact statement but told the defendant: ‘You have nothing but my disdain.’

Defence advocate David Reynolds said at the age of 82, jail ‘could result in a life sentence’.

Prosecutor James Robinson described the offences as ‘premeditated’.

The court heard Ms Costain and the defendant had married in 2005.

They set up a property holding company KJ Ltd which held property and land they owned in Madeira in Portugal.

Both were directors of the company which was struck off in 2018.

After they separated and started divorce proceedings, Mr Beecroft sold both the land and property in Madeira for €275,000 in February 2021.

He used £120,000 of the proceeds to pay off creditors and for his own living expenses.

Ms Costain was unaware of the sale.

Mr Robinson said the defendant had ‘tried to put his hands in the cookie jar before anyone realised what was going on’.

Subsequently in both an affidavit and under oath, Beecroft claimed a power of attorney document signed in 2015 had enabled him to instruct a friend to sell the property.

Mr Robinson said this was alleged to be forged and would not have enabled the defendant to sell the property without informing the other director.

In any event, he could not have legally sold the property given the legal owner of the property - by then renamed Joarey Ltd - had been struck off.

In the divorce proceedings, Beecroft claimed in a 2021 affidavit to still own the property and land in Madeira worth €350,000 - even though he had sold them himself in 10 months earlier.

Then at an ancillary relief hearing in 2023, the defendant gave sworn evidence that his affidavit was true, though later admitted he had lied in it.

He provided a second power of attorney document he said he used to legally effect the sale, though again this is believed to not be genuine.

A sum of £42,625 was paid to Ms Costain’s advocates by the defendant in 2022.