A rogue trader who conned an elderly pensioner out of £1,200 by pretending to fix a leaking roof was last night behind bars.

Hughie Fury did work “of no value whatsoever” to the roof of 86-year-old Olive Cutler’s bungalow in Wheatley — but charged her £1,200.

The 51-year-old was called to Mrs Cutler’s home in July 2007 after she reported problems with her roof.

Robert Horner, prosecuting at Oxford Crown Court, said Mrs Cutler’s son was concerned about the quality of the work and called trading standards officials.

An expert examined the roof and concluded Fury, of Old London Road, Chipping Norton, had just repainted it and thrown some gravel on the top.

Mr Horner said: “He said it was of no value whatsoever. If it had been done properly it would have cost about £700.”

Fury admitted one charge of fraud on the day his trial was due to begin earlier this month.

The court heard he was convicted of affray and jailed for three years in 2005 after an incident at a wedding reception at the Holiday Inn at Pear Tree, Oxford, in which a 28-year-old man died.

Anthony Bell, defending, said: “The amounts concerned are comparatively small when one compares them to other offences of this kind.”

Jailing Fury for 40 weeks and ordering him to pay £1,200 compensation and £2,000 costs, Mr Recorder Malek said: “The whole thing was nothing but a scam on an old and vulnerable person.”

Speaking outside court, Graham Hill, group manager of Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards, said: “We are satisfied with the result. He targeted an elderly victim. The loss was considerable.”