Black Country conman who preyed on elderly jailed for four years

Darren Hemmings struck five times in the Walsall area between April 20 and August 7, a judge heard.

The 49-year-old tricked the victims with sob stories, telling them he either needed cash to visit a seriously-ill relative or cash for a taxi, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

One woman suffering from dementia handed him £30 after he raised the amount he wanted three times before leaving her alone.

The others each gave him between £5 and £10, it was said.

One woman was accosted when she got home from church while a man was targeted as he tended his allotment. All those involved were in their 70s and 80s.

A CCTV camera filmed Hemming coming and going from one of the address and the daughter of the occupant later recognised him walking around the area.

The fifth victim, also a dementia sufferer, was pushed aside after answering the front door by Hemmings who headed for the living room.

He could not find any cash so took the man's £7 worth of scratch cards instead, revealed Mr Andrew Baker, prosecuting.

Ms Julia Powell, defending, explained: "He was desperate for drugs and resorted to these dreadful offences to fund his entrenched addiction."

Hemmings from Thickett Close, Walsall, had previous convictions involving 88 separate offences, 52 of which were for fraud and a further 22 for theft and burglary.

He was on licence following an early release from another prison sentence when committing the latest batch of offences.

The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to four cases of fraud and one of burglary and was jailed by Judge Rhona Campbell who told him: "You are far too old to be behaving like this but your offending is relentless and incessant.

"The seriousness of these matters is not made out by the amount of money taken. It is the level of insecurity and loss of confidence they are left with after being conned out of their money by you."