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Irish Wedding News

16/07/2013

Man Exposed As Bigamist Via Facebook

A man has been exposed by a bigamist after his first wife tracked him down via Facebook.

Brian Frain, 36, from North East Lincolnshire is now facing a possible prison sentence following the discovery by Ann-Marie Sims, the Daily Mail has reported.

A court was told how Frain married Ms Sims at Tameside Register Office in Dukinfield, Greater manchester, in June 1999 following the couple's two-month 'whirlwind romance'. The pair then separated after just two months together and Sims moved to Scotland.

Tameside Magistrates' Court also heard that she tried to get in touch with her estranged husband five years later to seek a divorce as she wanted to re-marry, however solicitors could not locate him.

Ms Sims decided to track down Frain herself and turned to social networking site Facebook. It was there, the court heard, that she discovered the wedding pictures of his marriage in September 2009 to Louise Meredith.

It is understood Mr Frain used the same register office for both weddings.

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David Curtis, prosecuting, said: "She made enquiries with the register office and he had not told them that he was already married."

He added that in interviews, Frain had admitted he had married Ms Sims in 1999, but "due to the amount of time that had passed, Mr Frain assumed that he was no longer married to her.

"He did not inform the register office and took no legal advice."

In June 2007, it was revealed that Frain met his second wife Louise.

They formed a friendship after they exchanged messages over the internet, district judge Paul Richardson heard.

Mr Curtis added: "He made no mention that he was married. Police were contacted and Frain was later arrested."

In a statement written by Ms Meredith and read out to the court, she said: "Although I had been married before, I was under the impression that this was Brian's first marriage.

"The wedding went well. I truly believed that I was his first wife. This has obviously affected me."

The court was told the couple are no longer together.

Rachel Wilson, defending, said Frain claims his second wife knew that he was married. District judge Richardson ruled that a short trial would be held on August 7 to settle the case.

Ms Wilson added: "He fully complied with the police. Ten years later he meets the second wife. He believes that at that stage, his marriage no longer existed because of the fact that it was only for two months and it was 10 years ago. He accepts that he was ignorant."

Speaking to Mr Frain, District Judge Richardson said: "It makes a difference whether or not you deceived this lady. Your statements are opposite and we are going to have a trial of the issue."

Frain pleaded guilty to a single count of bigamy and the case was adjourned for sentence. He was bailed to appear again in court on August 7.

(JP/CD)

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"A man has been exposed by a bigamist after his first wife tracked him down via Facebook."