A Bradford conman on the run from justice is thought to be masterminding a massive international fraud from his hideout.

While police forces across Britain hunt for Robert Bowman - who has already admitted 'swindling money from the dead' - he is said to be running an elaborate satellite television scam netting hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Officials say Bowman has re-launched one of his old cons offering satellite customers 'smart-cards' over the internet allowing them free access to all channels.

Buyers soon discover the £95 card is useless and are then asked to hand over another £50 for a 'decoder' which never arrives.

Police started a manhunt last July after 29-year-old Bowman jumped bail while awaiting sentence after admitting fraud along with his brother and fellow conman Lord Bowman.

The 34-year-old, who gave himself the grand title by deed poll, received a 180-hour community punishment order at Leeds Crown Court while his brother fled with a "large amount of money" from a supposedly frozen bank account.

One of the charges related to a similar satellite scam while the other stemmed from what prosecutors dubbed the "Christian Bookshop Conspiracy".

Here, the brothers contacted more than 500 solicitors handling the estates of dead people and claimed they owed their firm cash for bibles and other religious books they had already bought. It netted them thousands of pounds before they were finally caught.

Today, Chris Lemaitre, manager of BSkyB's operational security unit, said: "Bowman seemed to disappear 18 months ago but now appears to have resurfaced."

Mr Lemaitre said Bowman, of Wyke, had been running similar satellite scams using various names, such as Stealthcard.net, for about six years. There is no evidence to suggest that Bowman's bother is involved.

The latest website, www.freetvrus.com, for a company called Digital Technology, offers 'Stealthcards' from a non-existent hi-tech company in France and even features a list testimonies from 'satisfied customers'," said Mr Lemaitre.

Adverts publicising the site have appeared in numerous newspapers and national magazines. Flyers have been delivered as far afield as Glasgow and the West Midlands.

Mr Lemaitre said: "We are satisfied that Mr Bowman is behind this latest operation which is identical to those previously used."

He said colleagues who had met Bowman also recognised his voice on recorded messages.

"He has slipped between the various authorities for the last five or six years except the time he was picked up in West Yorkshire and we weren't aware of that at the time."

Bradford Detective Constable Bob Capstick, who arrested Bowman on the last occasion, confirmed he was investigating the latest scam.

He said: "It was an elaborate operation with people being asked to send cheques to France which were then re-directed back to Bradford and banked."

"He pleaded guilty to the charges but went on the run before he could be sentenced."

He said there was evidence that Bowman had been operating from the Birmingham area and revealed that an appeal was due to appear on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Graham Hebblethwaite, of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said: "This operation is one of those cases where the offer seems to good to be true and that is exactly what it is."

When the Telegraph & Argus tried to contact the company through its 'customer services' line, it was unable to get a reply.

Anyone with information on Bowman's whereabouts should contact Det Con Capstick on (01274) 376459.