A bogus roofer who befriended an 87-year-old Roehampton war veteran and then stole £100,000 from him by forging cheques was jailed last week.

George Woolford pleaded guilty to stealing the huge amount by conning his way into the housebound man's home claiming the roof needed repairs every two to three months, from late 2000 until his arrest last September.

Sentencing him to 18 months' imprisonment after the trial at Kingston Crown Court, Judge Thomas said the crime was "contemptible".

The court earlier heard how Woolford callously preyed on the vulnerable pensioner, who does not want to be named, by making him pay cash for roof repairs that were never done, while ripping the cheques and counterfoils from his chequebook.

He then duped a 76-year-old man from North London into innocently cashing the forged cheques some as large as £4,400, with none less than £1,000 for him because he had "business problems".

Neighbours first raised alarms when they saw Woolford sunning himself on the back roof but could not prove he had taken money from the pensioner, who has lived alone since his mother died in 1982.

It was only when a neighbour offered to look after his papers when he was in hospital after a fall last March that a £6,000 overdraft in a current account that had once held £80,000 was noticed.

The court also heard how Woolford was caught inside the man's house by another neighbour who was looking after his possessions while he was in hospital.

It also heard how Woolford was seen asking neighbours about the pensioner's health and knocking on other elderly residents doors.

Woolford, of Virginia Water, Surrey, refused to speak to police investigators but pleaded guilty, claiming he stole the money to fund a crack cocaine addiction.

A neighbour said the pensioner had completely trusted the conman and refused to believe warnings.

"He now feels humiliated by the whole experience and ashamed about being taken for a ride.

"It's just preying on elderly people. It's just wickedness."

DC Mark Hanley, who led the investigation, paid tribute to the neighbours' vigilance.

He said bogus tradesman preyed on elderly and vulnerable people who might not be able to identify them or give evidence if the case went to the police.

"People must check the credentials of all tradesman and be very careful before letting anyone on to their premises."

January 30, 2003 09:30