A "CHATTY and charming" career conman who fleeced vulnerable elderly people has been jailed.

Cold caller Stephen Hodgkins targeted older people aged between 75 and 90 years old, asking for cash deposits for work on their homes which he never returned.

Hodgkins of Dent Close, Worcester, admitted four counts of theft and one of fraud when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday.

The five complainants were all described as having been 'upset' and 'shaken' after being duped by the 47-year-old career conman, jailed three times before for doing the same thing.

In total he stole £515 from his complainants during these most recent incidents, asking for deposits for work which included repairs to guttering and windows after he called at their Worcester homes, engaging them in conversation.

Lal Amarasinghe, prosecuting, said his victims all described him as 'friendly, chatty and charming' which formed part of his 'modus operandi' while he 'preyed upon them', offering to perform work on their homes at highly inflated prices.

"Without exception, the complaints in this case are, with the greatest respect, elderly and vulnerable members of the public aged between 75 and 90" he told the court.

He added: "These are people who have retired feel utterly betrayed and duped by this defendant. Their confidence has been knocked. Their trust has been shaken.

"It is a particularly unpleasant offence. He has done this so many times and he hasn't stopped. His past convictions have not prevented him carrying on this type of activity.

"The distress and upset caused to these people has impacted greatly upon them."

The quotes he provided were often written on the back of a flyer for Oak Home Improvement or A1 Home Improvement, companies he set up.

Any work he did carry out was described by Mr Amarasinghe as 'unsatisfactory' and when complainants, who were of limited means, tried to cancel the work their deposits were not returned.

Peggy Prue, aged 86, fell victim to Hodgkins between November 14 last year and June 17 this year at her home in Bilford Road, Worcester. He stole £175 from her as a deposit for work he said needed doing to the roof and windows.

He stole £50 from 81-year-old Marie Bonnick between February 15 this year and June 17 this year and £40 from 79-year-old Dilys Crowe at Mortlake Avenue in Worcester between March 8 and June 17 this year and £250 from Roy Pilkington between March 20 and June 17 this year.

The fraud was committed against Irene Haynes of Knight Street, Worcester, between January 31 and March 1 this year when he made a false claim he was commencing building work, intending to make a gain for himself.

When he approached Mrs Prue he said 'do you remember me?, saying he had previously fitted their windows.

He gave them a quote of £1,070 for the work which the woman's son later told her was a lot of money for the job.

Hodgkins, who represented himself, said: "There were two of us involved. I did not involve him. I should involve him.

"He should be doing what I'm doing. I'm taking full responsibility on his behalf. It's his van. Without him I would not have done it.

"I'm sorry for what I have done but I'm not taking full responsibility for all of it."

Recorder Gareth Evans QC said: "You are a professional conman. You have, on numerous occasions, performed the same sort of ruse to get money out of elderly, vulnerable and gullible victims.

"You chose your victims well and you are good at what you do. You are charming and have a well-rehearsed patter which gets you through the door."

He gave him a 25 per cent discount in the length of his jail sentence because of his early guilty plea but said it was 'no mitigation' that someone else had been involved.

Recorder Evans said the complainants had been of limited means and he had served a three year prison sentence and two sentences of two years for similar offences.

He added: "You say you're sorry for what you've done. I think you're more sorry for being caught."

Recorder Evans jailed Hodgkins for two and a half years and ordered him to pay a £170 victim surcharge.