A woman has labelled a builder who stole from his clients "a smarmy little conman" after revealing he advertised in Christian newspapers.

Louise Wheadon came across rogue builder Brian Timbrell's advert in a Christian newspaper shortly before Christmas in 1999 and decided he sounded reputable.

She had been saving for an extension to her home in Radcliffe Road, Oxford, to create space for her aromatherapy business.

After handing Timbrell a £1,500 deposit, he never returned to carry out the work and has not paid her back.

Former Salvation Army officer Timbrell, 63, of Oakford Walk, Swindon, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court last week after he admitted two offences of obtaining money by deception from two people in Wiltshire.

Trimbell, who traded as B&B Builders, escaped a prison sentence because of poor health, but was ordered to pay a total of £800 to the two victims for the £6,500 he took for work that was never done.

He denied the offence against Ms Wheadon and she will not be receiving compensation. The offence was ordered to remain on file.

Ms Wheadon, 42, said: "He told me he was a Christian and didn't like overcharging.

"He said he had arthritis and I gave him a little magnetic bracelet to help it.

"I had a funny feeling when I handed the money over that the quote he had given me was too good to be true, but you like to trust people.

"He made up the most amazing excuses -- the wheel had fallen off his van, his builders couldn't find the house, he had a doctor or hospital appointment -- and the amount of funerals he went to was unbelievable.

"I usually try to see a good point in everybody but he's a smarmy little conman. It's so low using Christianity to gain people's trust.

"I don't know how he didn't get sent to prison -- it's like he's got a charmed life. He just lies and hides behind his illnesses and gives people the runaround.

"I'm not happy with the sentence. He's guilty and he should be put away so he doesn't get the chance to do it somebody else.

"I'm trying to put it all behind me now and don't want to feel bitter and angry.

"It's a blessing in disguise that he never actually started the work, because I don't think he's a very good builder and he would probably have made a complete mess of it.

"I eventually got the job done properly for £10,000."

Timbrell was declared bankrupt in 2001.

His other victims -- Tony and Angela Glead, of Wooton Bassett, near Swindon, and Graham Fox of Compton Basset, near Calne -- paid Timbrell deposits for work that was never carried out

At Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Julian Hall said that although he was dishonest, he would not jail him because he was suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, deafness and possible Alzheimer's disease, and had suffered several strokes.