'Callous' fraudster waved banknotes at 85-year-old dementia sufferer after tricking her into paying him

Paul Yearby, 59, who had similar offending on his criminal record, targeted the pensioner in May last year when he claimed he had cleaned her gutters and she owed him £50.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the complainant said she only had £30 and Yearby, who had been wearing a high-visibility vest to look like a legitimate tradesman, took it from her hand leaving her scared and shaking.

Prosecutor Taylor Dasaolu said a week later while CCTV equipment was being fitted at the property Yearby turned up again asking if they wanted the drains cleaning, but he was photographed and a Facebook post led to him being identified.

In April last year Yearby followed a 75-year-old woman as she returned from the shops and while she was putting rubbish out he stood in her kitchen doorway and told her he had cleaned the grates and wanted £100.

The Recorder of Bradford Judge Richard Mansell QC said the woman was in fear that some force would be used to get the money so she walked to nearby cash machine while Yearby waited at the property.

She gave Yearby the money and some time later he “taunted her” by waving the banknotes at her as he walked by her house.

In August Yearby returned to that complainant’s home, but she recognised him and his image was captured by a neighbour’s CCTV.

Judge Mansell noted that by September the woman had been considering moving out of the home where she had lived for 17 years.

In October last year Yearby, who had already been interviewed by police about one of the incidents, visited the home of an elderly couple asking for £30 for cleaning the gutters.

On that occasion he fled empty-handed when the husband took his photograph in the doorway.

Yearby, of Rufford Avenue, Yeadon, pleaded guilty to a robbery charge in respect of the incident in April.

He had previously admitted two further offences of fraud by false representation and Judge Mansell jailed him for a total of three years and eight months.

The court heard that Yearby had gambling debts at the time offences and barrister Christopher Styles said his client had been taking steps while on remand to address his mental health and gambling issues.

Judge Mansell said the return visits made by Yearby showed a callous disregard for the complainants and put into context his protestations about feeling sorry for his victims.

“In all three offences you targeted elderly and vulnerable victims in their homes and tried to con them out of money by falsely representing you had carried out work to clean their drains or gutters,” he told Yearby.

He said that Yearby’s repeated offending demonstrated a fixed propensity to prey on the elderly for financial gain.