A 39-YEAR-OLD was exposed as a bigamist when his fourth wife opened a letter issuing divorce proceedings from his third, a court heard today.

Cheal Sweetman failed to get a divorce from Amanda Madden when the pair separated in 2003.

Sweetman, of The Broadway, Chesham, had married on two previous occasions, when aged 18 and 24, and had been divorced both times.

But Wycombe Magistrates Court heard today Sweetman then married Juliet Bond in December 2004 while still legally married to Miss Madden.

Julia Jeans, prosecuting, told the court Miss Madden attempted to begin divorce proceedings in 2003.

But the split was never legally granted after she lost touch with Sweetman.

The court heard Miss Madden then made another attempt to get a divorce in 2007.

She managed to find details of Sweetman's address - and discovered he had re-married.

Mrs Jeans told the court a solicitor's letter was sent to the address - where it was opened by Miss Bond.

The couple wed in 2004, but Miss Bond did not know Sweetman was still married.

Mrs Jeans said: "He had produced documentation that made reference to a divorce from his second wife but the marriage to his third wife wasn't referred to."

She added that in a police interview, Sweetman said he "didn't intend to deceive any person".

She said the two women were "angry rather than upset".

Paul Smith, defending, said there were "no aggravating features" to the case.

He said Sweetman, a grass cutter, suffered from mental health problems and an alcohol addiction, and had twice tried to commit suicide.

He said: "He accepts he was wrong going into that fourth marriage, but the third had broken down a long time before."

Chairman of the bench Tom Webb said Sweetman would be sentenced at crown court as the magistrates had insufficient powers of sentencing.

He described the episode as "a breach of trust".

Sweetman was granted unconditional bail after pleading guilty to bigamy.