A LONG-TIME criminal who conned cash out of the public in a six-month charity scam has lost a bid to win his freedom.

Ju jitsu instructor and strongman record holder Norman "Knuckles" Jones, 55, who had earlier been sent down for 360 days by magistrates, thought he had now been behind bars long enough -- but a judge thought different.

Jones appealed against his sentence at Burnley Crown Court. His barrister told the bench Jones had now served the equivalent of six months -- but Recorder Lowe, sitting with two magistrates, dismissed his appeal.

The appellant, of Earl Street, Colne, who has a criminal record going back 31 years, had earlier admitted deception in March and August and two attempted deceptions in October.

The lower court had heard how Jones set out to trick the public with "sob stories" -- such as claiming a little girl had been burned in a local fire.

He made less than £70 from the con but the prosecution said it was the "moral dimensions" of the case which made it serious.

On March 10, the appellant went into the Lord Nelson pub in Nelson and got 30p, alleging he was collecting for the injured girl. He used the same trick in Wales in August. He also tried to get money in Clitheroe, but was refused cash.

The prosecutor had told the court: "People did not want to check his identity as they felt embarrassed because it was such a good local cause."