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Married men who claim they are not wed in order to snare a new lover in Italy will fall foul of the law, following a landmark judgement.

The country's Supreme Court has called time on lotharios after ruling against a man who claimed to have had his marriage annulled.

The hapless liar was found to have been taking a false identity after claiming to be legally single.

He claimed an advantage with the fib, by beginning a sexual affair with an unsuspecting woman, the court ruled.

The unnamed man's lawyers had argued that this was not recognised in law. 

The crime later unraveled when she discovered that he was not divorced, and that his wife was expecting a baby.

He had been planning to marry his second lover, even setting a wedding date in 2010, The Times reports. 

A report on legal website studiocataldi.it said: 'To conquer his new flame he went far beyond the old trick of removing his wedding ring, showing the woman a fake annulment certificate from the Sacred Rota to prove that he was free.

Marriage is being hotly discussed in Italy at the moment, with a bill put forward to Italy's Civil Code proposing to stop making couples pledge fidelity during civil ceremonies.

Senators who have signed off the amendment claim married people not cheating on their wives and husbands is a 'cultural legacy from an outdated and obsolete vision of marriage, family, and the rights and duties of spouses'.