A PENSIONER who spent £6,500 in nine weeks on a prostitute is having to limit his sex life after social services took control of his money.

Albert Skipper sold his maisonette in Eltham 18 months ago, to move into sheltered housing in the borough following the death of his 73-year-old wife, Anna, from emphysema in December, 2001.

The 81-year-old began to see a 35-year-old call girl to take away the loneliness and, in just nine weeks, spent the entire £6,500 deposit he had received from the house sale.

Once his doctor found out about the lavish spending, social services took control of the pensioner’s finances through a court of protection order to stop him squandering the £85,000 from the sale of his maisonette.

But Mr Skipper, who has no children, says he can now only afford to visit a brothel once every few weeks as social services give him just £90 a week.

He said: “They are stopping my money because they don’t want me to spend it on call girls. What do I want to save money for? I’m 81.

“You can’t stop nature. I like to enjoy myself. Being on your own is a killer. I spend money on women because I lost my wife.

“We were married for 55 years. My wife was a professional singer. I really loved her. I miss her.” He added: “After my wife died, I saw a call girl for four months. She didn’t tell me she was a call girl at the time. I took her out and rigged her out.

“I spent the £6,500 deposit in nine weeks. I bought her underwear, clothes and shoes. When she told me she was a call girl we called it a day.

“I now spend £40 on a prostitute every few weeks. Every time I ask for money social services say we’re looking after the money because I spend it like water. They won’t even give me my full pension.” Both Mr Skipper’s £104-a-week state pension and his £14-a-week pension from the Daily Telegraph, where he worked as a machine operator, are looked after by social services.

Greenwich Council says his £90-a-week income is far less than his outgoings as his bills are paid direct from his social services-controlled account.

A spokesman added: “There’s no moral judgement from ourselves on how he spends his £90-a-week.” Mr Skipper hopes to draw up a new will leaving his money to charities such as the Emphysema Society in memory of his wife. But he has been told he must undergo medical tests and prove he is of sound mind.