A fraudster has been jailed for stealing more than £13,000 from a wheelchair-bound woman, leaving her unable to pay utility bills or call her carer.

Jamie Weedon, 24, was sentenced to 22 months in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week.

He befriended the 48-year-old victim, who also has hydrocephalus – a build-up of fluid on the brain – in a Harold Hill cafe near his home in Dewsbury Road.

Over the next 18 months Weedon visited the woman’s home and persuaded her to withdraw cash for him. She also allowed him access to her bank card, PIN and online banking.

In July 2013 Weedon conned her into cashing in her £9,000 in premium bonds to fund a bogus jewellery business he claimed to have set up online.

This led to the victim’s phone line being cut off, which she needed to access her Care Line.

She was also left unable to pay other utility bills and it wasn’t until her carer noticed something was wrong in February 2014 that police were alerted.

In total he swindled £13,626.84 off the woman before being arrested in August 2014 and charged with two counts of fraud by false representation in January last year.

He pleaded guilty to both counts on the first day of his trial in November.

Weedon was also sentenced to four months imprisonment, to run concurrently, for several listings put on an online auction account for items that didn’t exist.

He was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the victim.

Det Con Natalie Gilder, from Romford CID, said: “I am pleased with this sentence and hope it warns others against committing a similar crime.

“I urge anyone to think before they hand over money or bank details. If you think you have been a victim, please don’t be embarrassed - tell police, so we can try to stop the fraudsters.”

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or, if the crime is in action, call police on 999.