A kindhearted couple duped into giving their son-in-law money after he claimed he was a sex abuse victim have been left bankrupt.

Derek and Martha Wales took out numerous loans and credit, bought cars in their name and paid for James White's house to be decorated, all totalling almost £56,000.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard White, 36, convinced them he was due compensation as a victim of sexual abuse and would use the cash to repay them.

His in-laws were caught up in his web of lies including that his sister Margaret was jailed for a fraud in his name.

White also claimed he was bankrupt as a result and needed money for legal fees and expenses to travel to court - or face being arrested.

The dad-of-two later bragged to Margaret that he used ten different phones to pose as court officials including solicitor Jim Friel, who tragically died in July 2014.

After asking advice about the level of debt they racked up and learning Mr Friel was dead, Mr Wales reported his son-in-law to police.

White, from Carntyne, Glasgow, was convicted of the £55, 868 fraud spanning from January 2011 to August 2015.

The Wales family including White's estranged wife Mary, 34, wept as the guilty verdict was read out in court.

Speaking outside court Mr Wales, 53, said: "He had been in our family for 18 years, we treated him like a son.

"We played golf and football together and everything was fine.

"In 2011 after the death of his dad, that's when everything started and we gave him money to help them out.

"We thought it would help our daughter too."

But the Wales family were drawn in when White confided in them he was the victim of sexual abuse and showed his wife Mary a letter he claimed was from a family member, who knew about it.

Mr Wales added: "We were disgusted by it and wanted to help him and protect our daughter.

"He wouldn't talk about it and we didn't want to press him.

"After that I was hooked, seeing my daughter upset by this, and did everything we could to help.

"He told so many lies, unfortunately we got taken in, we had no reason to doubt him."

White went on to say his abusers had been convicted and there was an ongoing court case in Birmingham that would lead to him receiving compensation.

He claimed he was bankrupt and took money from his in-laws for court fees, travel expenses and a trip to London to "sign court papers".

Jurors heard this was all fabricated, there was no court case and White was a never bankrupt.

Mr Wales forked out money for White's house to be decorated and even upgraded to a £14,000 car, when it was suggested that money was spent on things, that could be used to help get the compensation if receipts were shown.

The concerned couple took loans and credit out in their name, believing White was bankrupt and even borrowed from friends to try and help him which lead to them being declared bankrupt.

Mr Wales received text messages from who he believed were lawyers, court officials and even a judge in Birmingham.

In evidence he told fiscal depute Richard Hill that he had no knowledge of the court system and how compensation is awarded.

Mr Hill said to the jury: "Crucially, he had no reason to expect his son-in-law would lie to him."

In addressing them, Mr Hill described the Wales' as a trusting family.

He said: "A trust that White preyed upon and exploited."

Mr Wales added: "I hate him for what he's done, if he needed help he could have come to me.

"He was like a son."

An emotional Mary described White as a "dangerous, nasty, liar."

She said: "He was my husband, I thought he was my best friend, I loved him.

"Never ever could I have imagined all this to be lies."

Sheriff Paul Crozier deferred sentence on White until next month and continued his bail.