A couple who conned hotels, restaurants and other businesses out of thousands of euros have been jailed for three and four years by judges in Assen.

The couple, who turned themselves in to the police after their photo was placed online, came up with excuses to explain why they delayed paying their bills but never came up with the money.

In total, 60 businesses lost money to the couple, most of them in Noord-Holland and Overijssel.

The court was told that Jan V, 63, was a serial conman and had several previous convictions. Jolanda H, 54, met him in 2003 and also has five previous convictions to her name.

Both have a personality disorder and have begun therapy to improve their lives, the court was told.

The couple went to the police last August after a hotel in Tubbergen uploaded a photo of them when they left without paying the €970 bill.

The hotel’s appeal for help in tracing the couple led several other firms to come forward saying the couple had ripped them off as well.