A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD who preyed on a trusting pensioner in a scam that left her feeling helpless and scared is now behind bars.

Luke McDonagh, from Chester, was jailed for 30 months after being convicted of dishonestly making a false representation to make a gain for himself or another as well as a section 47 assault from a separate incident.

Chester Crown Court heard on October 25 how McDonagh had targeted the 87-year-old woman’s home in Latchford, taking advantage of her trusting nature after claiming he could fix the holes in her roof.

The grandma-of-one, who has lived in the home for 12 years, handed over £1,400 but the work was never completed.

The victim’s son, who was on holiday at the time, said: “She is from a generation that trusted people.

"Back in her day, if someone said they could help you with a problem then they were doing you a favour.

"She thought someone was trying to help her. She didn't realise in this day and age that some people can't be trusted.

"It's shaken her confidence and she's not as trusting as she used to be."

READ > Family's plea for help to build memorial to partying pensioner Stan the Man

READ > 'Changing car culture could be key to congestion nightmare'

The elderly woman was first approached by McDonagh, and some other accomplices who have yet to be identified, in July 2016 when they told her they could fix the holes in her roof.

She handed over £400 for the materials before McDonagh came back weeks later to request a further £1,000.

As the woman didn't have the money, McDonagh put her in a taxi where he told her to go to a bank to withdraw the cash which she handed over.

McDonagh was linked to the crime after his fingerprints were discovered on the loft hatch by forensics.

PC Richard Whitehead said: "These criminals actively target the most elderly and vulnerable people in the community and this kind of callous deception is common practice.

"This is an 87-year-old widow who does not deserve to be treated in this way and this crime left her feeling helpless and scared."