A ROGUE builder admitted conning a disabled pensioner over work he claimed to have done on her roof.

Scott Mitchell yesterday pleaded guilty at Didcot Magistrates' Court to two charges of obtaining money by deception, totalling £1,980, and failing to carry out work on Angela Hallam's property in Drayton, near Abingdon.

Mitchell, 36, of Willow Street in Leicester, also admitted two other charges under the Trades Description Act relating to jobs he had not carried out.

The court heard how Miss Hallam, 72, who lives alone, had paid Mitchell £16,000 for various jobs to repair her roof over the course of several months, last year.

She had approached him to carry out work on her guttering after he was recommended to her by a friend. Miss Hallam, who was not in court yesterday, said later that the experience had been very distressing.

She said: "He robbed me and it has been so awful. He took advantage of me in any way he could because he could see I was disabled. The only work he did was cleaning the gutters and he charged me £490 for it, which I thought was a lot, and it just escalated from there on."

Miss Hallam said she had been undergoing surgery on her hands and wrists while Mitchell was working for her.

She said: "I cannot afford to have lost that money because it was my life savings. I felt so pressured because I was so poorly at the time.

"I did not know what to do and he would not go away.

"He was pestering me for the money and he kept coming round, so I got in touch with trading standards, who were brilliant. I felt like someone had been in my house and burgled me.

"It has spoiled living here and I feel very vulnerable living alone as well as being disabled, because I cannot trust anyone."

Richard Webb, prosecuting, of Oxfordshire County Council's trading standards department, told the court Mitchell had been paid more than £16,000 by Miss Hallam, but there had been confusion over the invoices.

After the hearing, Mr Webb said: "I am pleased the court is going to consider all the options, including custody, and they have recognised the seriousness of the matter."

On behalf of Mitchell, Rishi Nathwani said the builder was sorry for what he had done and had offered to finish the work for Miss Hallam. Mr Nathwani said that Mitchell had contacted trading standards when he heard they wanted to speak to him.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and Mitchell was granted unconditional bail.

He is due to be sentenced on Monday, October 15 at Didcot Magistrates Court.