A callous fraudster demanded cash from a 'frail' man with a false promise to clear his guttering - just over two weeks after being released from prison for the same crime.
Wearing a high-vis vest and claiming to be a professional, John Ward turned up to his victim's Bolton home and claimed he would do the work on three occasions, Bolton Crown Court heard. The 27-year-old, from Longsight, swindled £50 from the pensioner and tried to con him out of another £60 in total.
But carrying a blue suitcase on his way to the dock on Wednesday (March 16), Ward knew his 'mean-spirited' operation had fallen apart, and with a fist bump from his brother through the glass he was jailed for 21 months.
Prosecuting, Peter Gilmour told the court that Ward knocked on the door of his elderly Bolton victim last March 5 and claimed he would clear his guttering - suggesting it was causing issues for his neighbour.
The pensioner gave Ward the £50 he demanded, but the conman failed to carry out the work. After speaking to the neighbour who Ward claimed was suffering due to the guttering needing clearing, his victim realised he was being duped.
The court heard Ward returned to his home on March 8 last year and again on April 2, each time demanding £30 to carry out the task, but on both occasions the pensioner said he did not have the money and sent him on his way.
Mr Gilmour said: "[The victim] uses a zimmer frame and suffers various medical issues. He's visited several times a day by carers and nurses.
"He has grab rails installed and it's obvious to anyone passing the property that there may be somebody living with mobility issues at the address. The Crown says Ward targeted him for that reason."
Mr Gilmour told the court that a friend of the victim managed to take photographs of Ward on his way to a 'halfway house' where he was staying following his release from prison last February 15.
Ward was questioned by police and was recalled to prison for breaching his licence, serving 28 days in custody from September 24. Having originally pleaded not guilty to three counts of fraud by false misrepresentation, Ward changed his plea to guilty on the morning of his trial, before appearing at Bolton Crown Court for sentencing today.
Defending, Henry Blackshaw told the court his client was now showing 'true remorse' for what he had done, and had not offended again since he targeted the pensioner.
"There is cause for optimism that there is work that can be productively done with this man to hopefully continue his resistance [against crime]," said Mr Blackshaw.
He also told the court that Ward had been drinking heavily following his release from prison - where he spent 'a year or more' - and was dealing with the 'sudden death' of his sister.
Mr Blackshaw added: "Unfortunately for the gentleman who was his victim, he reverted to precisely the same behaviour that put him in prison in the first place."
The court heard that Ward, of Kirkmanshulme Lane, had 55 previous convictions including his last 'very similar' fraud conviction - after he asked 'vulnerable, elderly people' for £45 each to clear their guttering. The judge, Recorder Alexandra Simmons, said Ward had been 'persistent' as she sentenced him to 21 months in prison.
She said: "I've no doubt that his vulnerability was either already known to you or immediately apparent when he answered the door that day.
"This offending has had a significant effect on [the victim], who has lost confidence as a result and does not want to answer his front door. Having targeted this vulnerable person, you did not only visit him once, but continued to pursue him for money.
"In my view, people that target the most vulnerable in society in the way that you have - particularly having recently served a custodial sentence for exactly the same thing - deserve an immediate custodial sentence."
