A Louis Theroux-lookalike conman has been jailed after moving in with his girlfriend after just 11 days – and kicking her out of her own HOME.
Allan Debenham, who was once hauled before the courts for pretending to be the famed documentarian in a bid to cash in on his fame, has been jailed for launching a vicious assault on girlfriend Jane Putt.
Jane, 44, met 41-year-old Debenham online and, just 11 days later, she was so taken in by his dark features and Theroux-like face she invited him to move into her home, in Bodmin, Cornwall.
Allan with Jane
Allan turned nasty
But less than two months later, unemployed Debenham turned nasty and attacked her in a booze-fuelled rage and threw her out of her own home – in her underwear.
Mum-of-one Jane said: “I consider myself an intelligent woman but he completely duped me.
“He seemed the perfect gentleman before I agreed to let him move him.”
“Then, once he had the key to my door, he changed within days. I was naive to think you can get to know a man in such a short space of time.”
The pair met on dating site Zoosk in March and Debenham was arrested after kicking Jane out of her own home in May.
Jane met him online
Jane said: “After Allan assaulted me I Googled him and found out he’d once pretended to be Louis Theroux to get freebies.
“I couldn’t believe it – he does look a little like Louis, but he never told me about the incident when we were together.
“It makes sense that he was trying to use the resemblance to scrounge freebies – after all, he did the same thing by living with me and using my home.
“It was just more proof that Allan wasn’t the man I thought he was.”
In happier times
Debenham was jailed for eight weeks at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to assault by beating and criminal damage.
He was also given a permanent restraining order preventing him from contacting Jane again.
Admin assistant Jane said: “While I went out and worked from nine to five every day, Allan would slob about on the sofa drinking beer.
“I would come home from work and smell it on him, and see up to 15 empty bottles in the bin.
“He was claiming £1,100 benefits a month in Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Allowance, and spent pretty much the whole lot on boozing.
“It was happening every night and it became obvious he was an alcoholic – when I spoke to him about it he snapped and hit me.”
Allan would pretend to be the celebrity to get freebies
Jane added: “I want to warn other women about the dangers of moving too fast in these sorts of relationships.
“Perhaps I was just unlucky but I’ve been completely put off online dating websites.
“By the looks of Allan’s profile, he was smart, sensitive and kind – just like Louis Theroux.
“Now I know that he manipulated me and I was gullible enough to believe him.
“The second he had his feet under the table, his true colours showed.”
Debenham narrowly avoided prison in June 2013 after pretending to be beloved presenter Louis in a bid to blag a free stay in a hotel.
The sneak claimed to be the TV presenter and interviewer – and even provided a fake contact from the BBC’s finance department as proof.
Jane wants to warn other women
He used the bogus identity to blag a £70-a-night room and gave staff at the Duke of York at Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset, an order number so they could claim payment back from the Beeb.
During his three-night stay he also pretended to be Mr Theroux’s personal assistant and ordered two bottles of wine from room service to add to the tab.
He was only rumbled when staff became suspicious when the ‘PA’ telephoned again and asked for for “some fags” to be taken to Debenham’s room.
He was handed a 12-month supervised community order and £160 in fines and costs.
