Roofing cowboys' victim, 88, died a broken man

Cyril Jenkins, 88, was conned out of 7,000 for roof repair work at his Bristol home that was not needed.

Two men, Owen Crumlish and Leo Larkin, have been jailed for their part in the enterprise, court staff said.

But Mr Jenkins' family told reporters the pensioner never overcame the shock of losing his savings and died a broken man.

Mr Jenkins, who ran his own business for many years, stopped eating after falling victim to the conmen. He lost more than four stone in a matter of a few months before dying in Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.

Mr Jenkins's son John was in court to see Crumlish jailed for nine months, and said that his father was left devastated. He said: "Dad wouldn't talk about it. He was so ashamed of being ripped off."

He added: "He went quiet after that. He just stopped eating. He went from 12-and-a-half stone to seven stone."

Mr Jenkins was in the garden of his home in Fishponds Road last April when a van pulled up. A man got out and said he had noticed that roof tiles needed replacing and offered to do the job for 250.

The pensioner, who ran his own carpet business, CH Jenkins, for 35 years, agreed to the work being done.

The conmen said they would need money to buy roof tiles and offered to take Mr Jenkins to a bank for the cash.

That day he handed over 3,000. The next day the gang did some work but actually caused damage which cost 1,600 to have fixed.

Mr Jenkins was taken to the bank a second time, giving the gang another 4,000. When they returned the next week demanding yet more money he called the police.

Crumlish, 29, of Greenbank Road, Easton, who had pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, was jailed for nine months at Bristol Crown Court yesterday.

Larkin, 35, who also used the name Patrick O'Lorcain, had been previously sentenced to the same term for the offence.