A CROOKED internet trader who conned his eBay customers out of almost £40,000 for undelivered goods has failed in an appeal against his jail term at London's Criminal Appeal Court.

Shumon Ullah, 25, of Top Barn Lane, Newchurch, Rossendale, was jailed for two years and eight months in July after admitting 24 counts of fraud at Burnley Crown Court.

The dad, who had previously been a legitimate eBay trader, offered more than £200,000 worth of goods for sale, without any intention of delivering on the deals.

In only three weeks in September 2007, capitalising on his previous good reputation as a trader, he netted £38,500 from customers without delivering any goods.

Ullah got around internet payment safeguards by opting not to use the normal PayPal system and requiring customers to pay cash directly into his bank account.

When negative feedback built up on his profile, the sales dried up, he changed his eBay identity and posted an abusive message on his page.

He then withdrew tens of thousands of the ill-gotten cash from his bank account, wrongly claiming to his victims that he was bankrupt.

At the Appeal Court, lawyers representing Ullah argued before Lord Justice Hughes, Mr Justice Davis and Mr Justice Mackay that the sentence was too long.

But, dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Mackay said the court had no doubt that Ullah had hoped to obtain as much of the £229,000 value of the bogus goods placed for sale on the site.

He said: "We are unable to find that this sentence was one which can be called manifestly excessive and, for that reason, this appeal must be dismissed."