Addicted fraudster jailed for widow con

Timothy Fisher knew the 81-year-old was vulnerable because she had only lost her husband in February last year, Philip Adams, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

He had overseen some building work at her home after being introduced to her by a relative and became a regular visitor and trusted friend.

She then made him a third party signatory on her Leeds and Holbeck bank account so he could withdraw money for her.

Between July and October he made 23 fraudulent cash withdrawals of 300 and over the same period nine fraudulent cheque withdrawals after forging her name for amounts ranging from 500 to 5,000.

His dishonesty only came to light when the bank became suspicious and the police were informed. He was arrested on November 28 last year and admitted what he had done.

He told officers he started doing some shopping and repair work for her in the spring of last year and then helped her sort out paper work over probate on her husband's account.

He said while making legitimate payments for her he began to take some cash and the withdrawals escalated until he accepted he was "effectively living off the complainant."

David Tyrer for Fisher said he was shocked when he realised how much he had taken and was genuinely remorseful but at the time was addicted to crack cocaine." He also had health problems which meant he could not work and the temptation "became too great for him."

Fisher, 49 of Malvern Rise, Beeston, Leeds, admitted 15 charges of fraud with 17 taken into consideration.

Judge Alastair McCallum said: "It is about as cruel an offence as you can commit on a person who has just lost her husband."