Aqua
02-13-2008, 03:44 PM
(SF)
By Ben Farmer
A bigamist who wed a woman 33 years his junior while still married to his first wife was caught out by a guest he had invited to both weddings.
# Leader: The benefits of bigamy?
Randolf Edge, 54, has been spared jail though after a court heard both his "wives" had now forgiven him.
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Edge, known as Ranchi, never divorced his first wife Edna Winkle when they separated in August 2006 and he remained in contact with her, Norwich Crown Court heard.
However, he had started dating Patience Carey when she was aged 17 in 2004 and she assumed he was single when he proposed a year later.
Edge, a lorry driver, and Miss Carey, a factory worker, were married at King's Lynn register office, in Norfolk, last June.
Frank Ferguson, prosecuting, said: "He told her he had been married 20 years earlier and all her family were present at the service where he declared himself to be single."
The deception was uncovered when a guest who had also been to his earlier wedding in Full Sutton, Lincs, in 2002, tipped off register office staff that Edge appeared to be still married.
When Edge was arrested, he admitted what he had done and said "he was just going along with it".
He arrived for Monday's hearing hand-in-hand with his first wife and said he was hoping to revive the marriage.
The court heard he and Miss Carey were no longer in a relationship, but still living together as friends in a bungalow in King's Lynn.
In a statement read to the court, Miss Carey said it had felt like her "heart was bleeding" when she first discovered the truth.
But she said she did not want Edge to be jailed, adding "I want to forget about it and get on with my life."
Mr Ferguson said: "Mr Edge's legitimate wife is here with him today and their relationship has some prospect of being revived.
"There is still confusion over his relationship with each woman."
John Morgans, defending, said Edge now got on "better than ever" with Miss Carey even though they were no longer in a relationship.
He added that Edge and Miss Winkle intend to give marriage another try once the case was over and "the future is more clear".
Mr Morgans added: "He is not trying to excuse his behaviour. He has an insight into the impact his behaviour has had on these two people and has tried to put this right now all parties are in the know.
"Edge admitted bigamy and was sentenced to 100 hours community service and a 12 month supervision order at the court on Monday.
Judge Peter Thompson told him: "You consciously deceived a 21-year-old, many years younger than yourself, who was completely convinced you were free to marry. You happily participated in a wedding day sham.
"A mitigating feature is she now has a friendly relationship with you and does not want you to go to prison."
You are very lucky. The last person I sentenced for bigamy went straight to prison. You breached her trust and you breached the law.
"You flouted a law designed to preserve respect for marriage. Do not treat anybody with this kind of disdain again."
Edge, who could have faced a maximum sentence of seven years in jail for the offence, made no comment as he left court.
The most recent statistics from the Home Office show there were 61 cases of bigamy recorded in 2006 to 2007.
By Ben Farmer
A bigamist who wed a woman 33 years his junior while still married to his first wife was caught out by a guest he had invited to both weddings.
# Leader: The benefits of bigamy?
Randolf Edge, 54, has been spared jail though after a court heard both his "wives" had now forgiven him.
advertisement
Edge, known as Ranchi, never divorced his first wife Edna Winkle when they separated in August 2006 and he remained in contact with her, Norwich Crown Court heard.
However, he had started dating Patience Carey when she was aged 17 in 2004 and she assumed he was single when he proposed a year later.
Edge, a lorry driver, and Miss Carey, a factory worker, were married at King's Lynn register office, in Norfolk, last June.
Frank Ferguson, prosecuting, said: "He told her he had been married 20 years earlier and all her family were present at the service where he declared himself to be single."
The deception was uncovered when a guest who had also been to his earlier wedding in Full Sutton, Lincs, in 2002, tipped off register office staff that Edge appeared to be still married.
When Edge was arrested, he admitted what he had done and said "he was just going along with it".
He arrived for Monday's hearing hand-in-hand with his first wife and said he was hoping to revive the marriage.
The court heard he and Miss Carey were no longer in a relationship, but still living together as friends in a bungalow in King's Lynn.
In a statement read to the court, Miss Carey said it had felt like her "heart was bleeding" when she first discovered the truth.
But she said she did not want Edge to be jailed, adding "I want to forget about it and get on with my life."
Mr Ferguson said: "Mr Edge's legitimate wife is here with him today and their relationship has some prospect of being revived.
"There is still confusion over his relationship with each woman."
John Morgans, defending, said Edge now got on "better than ever" with Miss Carey even though they were no longer in a relationship.
He added that Edge and Miss Winkle intend to give marriage another try once the case was over and "the future is more clear".
Mr Morgans added: "He is not trying to excuse his behaviour. He has an insight into the impact his behaviour has had on these two people and has tried to put this right now all parties are in the know.
"Edge admitted bigamy and was sentenced to 100 hours community service and a 12 month supervision order at the court on Monday.
Judge Peter Thompson told him: "You consciously deceived a 21-year-old, many years younger than yourself, who was completely convinced you were free to marry. You happily participated in a wedding day sham.
"A mitigating feature is she now has a friendly relationship with you and does not want you to go to prison."
You are very lucky. The last person I sentenced for bigamy went straight to prison. You breached her trust and you breached the law.
"You flouted a law designed to preserve respect for marriage. Do not treat anybody with this kind of disdain again."
Edge, who could have faced a maximum sentence of seven years in jail for the offence, made no comment as he left court.
The most recent statistics from the Home Office show there were 61 cases of bigamy recorded in 2006 to 2007.