by Paul Hooper

The Canterbury pensioner who faked his own death to get insurance cash..has had a suspected heart attack in prison.

Anthony McErlean, 67 (whose house is pictured left), was due to be sentenced today for pocketing more than £500,000 in payments.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that while on remand he had been given an ECG - which had revealed heart problems.

Now a judge has adjourned sentence for six weeks and ordered prison doctors to prepare a full medical report "to see if the condition is life-threatening or not."

McErlean, of Swarling Hill Road, Petham was thought to have died in a road accident in Honduras in December 2009.

A claim was made to the Glasgow-based Ace Insurance in the name of his wife, Sonya.

He was later arrested and pleaded guilty to stealing £27,615 from a pension fund from the Port of London Authority and £40,658 from the Department of Works and Pension.

At the time of his last court appearance earlier this year, he had complained about having chest pains.

But now his barrister Peter Alcock revealed that an electrocardiogram had revealed a possible heart attack and asked that sentence be delayed.

As McErlean left court to return to his prison cell, Judge James O'Mahony warned him that any health issues "may not, in the end, make any difference to your sentence".

He replied: "I understand that, sir."