Judges take a dim view of those who target society's vulnerable. 

And they make no exception for the crooks with pensioners in their sights. 

One sneak thief was branded 'nasty and callous' for stealing from an old woman in her own home. 

A pair of rogue builders who scammed an Oxford man were blasted for 'flagrantly breaching' the consumer protection regulations in place to keep him safe. 

The snake...on the floor

Carl Bleach described himself as a ‘rotten junkie’ when faced with CCTV footage of himself crawling across an elderly woman’s floor and fishing in a bag slung across her walking frame.

The 31-year-old, who had first met his victim while he was begging on the street, had minutes earlier been chatting amiably to the woman as she watched TV in her home.

Disgusted Bleach, of Kings Road, Banbury, told the judge of the video: “I couldn’t even see that, boss. I could not even watch it.”

Sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment suspended for a year, Recorder John Hardy QC said in August: “Your [actions] in stealing from her [were] about as low as you can get; mean, despicable, nasty and callous.”

READ MORE: ‘Rotten junkie’ stole from pensioner

Oxford Mail:

File mugshot of Carl Bleach in 2018 Picture: TVP

Thief stole octogenarian’s purse

Kevin Nanton snatched an 83-year-old woman’s purse in Broadway, Didcot, earlier this month – getting away with £130.

The notorious pickpocket left Oxford Magistrates’ Court with a £156 bill, comprising £80 in compensation and £76 in costs and surcharge.

It was not the first time he has been in trouble.

Last year, Nanton was jailed for a spree of pickpocket thefts targeting elderly victims in Oxford and the surrounding area.

Guy Wyatt, mitigating at the Oxford Crown Court hearing in 2020, said his client – who had more than 200 convictions on his record – was ‘not very good’ at stealing.

READ MORE: Notorious purse dipper back in the dock for theft

Oxford Mail:

Oxford Crown Court Picture: ED NIX

Cowboy carpenter scammed woman, 70s, dying of cancer

Rogue builder Nathan Kingsbury charged a woman in her 70s more than £1,000 to fit a door.

Despite repeated attempts by her son to get Kingsbury to complete the work after his mother’s death from pancreatic cancer, the cowboy carpenter never installed the door. The builder’s excuses for cancelling appointments to come to the house ranged from poor weather to issues at other sites.

Judge Nigel Daly jailed the 39-year-old for four years after hearing Kingsbury had scammed a series of couples in south Oxfordshire.

One victim told the court: “He needs to be prevented from doing to other families what was done to us.”

READ MORE: Cowboy carpenter scammed Abingdon homeowners

Cameron obsessive petrol obsessive octogenarian’s farmhouse

Joseph Stead, 35, meant to ‘send a message’ to David Cameron when he travelled to the ex-PM’s home village armed with petrol, rags and a lighter.

But rather than torch the Conservative politician’s home, Northamptonshire man Stead petrol bombed a farmhouse nearby.

Oxford Mail:

Joseph Stead leaves Oxford Crown Courtc

The period property had been home for decades to an octogenarian farmer – then staying with family nearby.

The famer, a widow, said she’d felt ‘murderous’ when she was told that the building had been razed. 

Stead admitted arson and was given a hospital order.

READ MORE: Arsonist obsessed with David Cameron set fire to cottage in a warning to the former PM 

Oxford Mail:

The remains of Stead's petrol bomb Picture: CPS

Vulnerable pensioner targeted by rogue builders

Rogue father-and-son builders Charles Carman, 59, and Charlie Carman, 39, swerved an immediate prison sentence by the skin of their teeth – and by coughing up £15,500 in compensation to their OAP victim.

The men conned their victim, who had lived in his Oxford semi for six decades, into handing over more than £20,000 for works that were only ever agreed verbally.

What work that was done on the house was of poor quality.

Judge Maria Lamb, who gave both men suspended sentences, told the pair: “The pair of you flagrantly breached regulations which exist to protect the customer, particularly those who may be vulnerable by reason of age as your victim undoubtedly was.”

READ MORE: Father and son rogue builders scammed OAP out of £23k

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.