A COWBOY builder who fleeced two pensioners out of thousands of pounds after carrying out "shoddy" repairs has been jailed.

David Borkwood, 44, approached the first victim, an 82-year-old woman living in Benfleet, Essex, and told her the guttering needed repairing and he would fix it for £100.

But when she returned from the bank with £500 and handed Borkwood £100, he snatched the remaining £400 from her and fled.

Borkwood struck again when he targeted a 77-year-old woman living in Hockley, Essex.

The woman was told it would cost £2,500 for work to her roof.

Borkwood, together with his relative Christopher Chuter, 53, escorted the pensioner to the bank so she could take out the money.

At an earlier hearing Borkwood, of Ampleforth Close, Orpington, pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud and Chuter, of Jay Gardens, Chislehurst, admitted one charge of fraud.

Judge Christopher Mitchell told the defendants at Basildon Crown Court in Essex on October 16 that they had thoroughly deceived both victims and the work they had completed was shoddy.

Borkwood, who has three previous convictions for similar offences, was given a four-year sentence.

The judge said: “Offences like this on elderly victims are very serious offences.

“The courts are urged not to send people to prison for economic crimes, but there are economic crimes and there are economic crimes.

“I have taken the view that you David Borkwood have to serve a long time in prison because of your previous record.”

Chuter, who had no previous convictions for this type of offence, provided the van they used to pose as builders and was given a two-year sentence.

The judge also ordered Chuter’s van be sold and any money received to be given to the 77-year-old victim as compensation for her loss.