A convicted bigamist who did not turn up to his own trial handed himself in on Wednesday.

Roderick Sangster, a 58-year-old former clergyman and policeman, was taken into custody after walking into a police station in the south of England shortly after 10am.

The former church minister was found guilty in his absence at Warwick Crown Court on November 14 of entering into a bigamous marriage and committing forgery.

He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday (December 4).

At his trial a jury heard that Sangster wed Janet Wallace while still married to his wife Jill Sangster, leaving them both thousands of pounds in debt.

Jill spoke of her joy at his capture.

“I’m absolutely delighted. I just hope that the court sees fit to sentence him accordingly.

‘‘This fraudster has to be stopped and now is the time to do it,” she said.

The court heard that Mrs Sangster, who lives in Perth, Scotland, but is originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was forced to declare herself bankrupt after discovering that he had run up a debt of £30,000.

Mr Sangster then found employment in a hotel in Evesham, Worcestershire, and started internet dating where he met Mrs Wallace, who was recovering from cancer.

They married at St Paul’s Church in Leamington Spa on July 17, 2004, before moving to Scotland.

Mrs Wallace, who lives in Flisk, near Newburgh in Fife, Scotland, told the court that she had no idea Sangster was still married when they wed.

Before his trial, Sangster had denied both charges.

Speaking after the conviction, police urged Sangster, whose last known address was the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Trinity Street, Chester, to hand himself in.