PROSECUTORS have been given more time to trace assets “hidden” by a fraudster convicted with his wife over a spending spree ahead of their wedding.

A proceeds of crime hearing was held at Oxford Crown Court on Friday in the case of Abingdon couple Arron and Rhianna Thomas.

Mr Thomas, 32, transferred £100,000 into her account in the run-up to their April 2011 wedding while working in accounts at Oxford builders’ merchant Grafton Merchanting.

Mrs Thomas, who was spared a prison sentence in May, sat in court while her husband – who was jailed for 22 months – appeared on a video link from prison.

Robin Griffiths, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, said it was seeking details about “a few items whose whereabouts or the value of the proceeds of the sale on the part of Mr Thomas are still something of a mystery”.

He said that the CPS still wanted to know what had happened to “large cash withdrawals” made by Mrs Thomas that appeared to have gone to her husband.

There had been “fruitful” discussions with the couple’s lawyers but Mr Griffiths said more time was needed to find “hidden assets” he said.

Mr Thomas, of Coopers Lane, Abingdon, admitted five charges of fraud and three counts of transferring criminal property.

Mrs Thomas, 24, was found guilty of two charges of possessing stolen property after she received two fraudulent cheques worth £54,058.64.

She was also convicted of transferring stolen property after she used some of the money to buy a Volvo C70 car costing £14,135.

She was cleared of receiving two more cheques worth £45,187 and using stolen money to buy a £9,000 motorbike and pay for breast enlargement surgery at a cost of £4,250.

Giving her a suspended prison sentence, a judge said that she was “under the spell” of her husband.

Recorder Philip Brooke Smith sentenced her to 15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered her to carry out 250 hours’ community service and pay £1,000 costs.

A further hearing over the missing proceeds will be held at the court on October 3.