A MAN who took advantage of a vulnerable woman over roof repair works at her home, was told by a crown court judge that any right thinking person would be sickened by his behaviour.

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court, told Andrew Ryder Foulkes that his offence was despicable and jailed him for 14 months.

The victim from Saltney had mobility problems and suffered from multiple sclerosis.

She lived alone, depended on carers and because of her condition slept in her bed in the living room.

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Defendant Andrew Ryder Foulkes, 25, at the time of Bryn Helyg in Flint, but who comes from Coventry, admitted fraud after he asked for £1,200 for roof repairs which she had already paid for.

Judge Niclas Parry told him he had committed “a quite despicable offence”.

He had deliberately targeted an extremely vulnerable lady who was bed bound, reliant on carers and who suffered from MS.

Foulkes made a cold call, told her £1,200 worth of damage required repairing to her roof because of recent storms, and she relied on his honesty because she was physically unable to verify what he said.

She trusted him that he had carried out the work.

“Such was her trust in you that she asked you to write out the cheque,” Judge Parry told him.

No proper paper work was left and the cheque was made out to another name.

“She was glad to see the back of you and did not expect to see you again,” he said.

But, the judge said, he had seen her for what she was – easy prey.

He returned and said that his boss had sent him to collect a further £1,200.

She knew that was not correct but she was vulnerable, he made her feel uncomfortable and told him where the cheque book was so that he could write out another cheque.

“Any right minded person would be sickened by what you have done,” he told Foulkes.

The second visit was the deliberate targeting of a vulnerable victim.

He had a previous record for dishonesty including a previous fraud against an elderly man back in 2015 when he had been given the chance of a community order, which ended months “before you were at it again.”

Judge Parry said that it was “a serious example of this sort of criminality” and said the public would expect the courts to sentence people in such a way to stop others from committing such offences.

Prosecuting barrister Ryan Rothwell said the defendant called at her home in May of last year and said that after recent storms her roof was damaged.

They agreed a figure of £1,200 and she got him to write out the cheque for her.

He seemed genuine but due to her mobility she could not see if the work had been completed.

He introduced himself as Scott and said he worked for a roofing company.

A month later he had returned and said his boss had instructed him to return and collect a further £1,200 payment.

She knew that was not correct but told him to write out a second cheque, which she signed, just to make him leave her home. He told her that he would return to give her a final invoice.

When she told her carer, arrangements were made to stop the second cheque.

A check with the bank revealed that the first cheque had been paid into an account linked to the defendant and he was arrested.

He denied being involved but was picked out by the victim during an identification procedure.

Foulkes had a similar previous conviction involving a man aged 77 in the South Shields area dating back to 2015.

In a victim impact statement, the complainant, a woman in her 40s, said that the incident had a huge impact on the quality of her life.

She was bed bound due to MS but there were days with assistance when she could get out and about.

The incident had affected her nerves, and she no longer trusted anyone regardless of who they were.

She believed that she had become more exposed and vulnerable and lived in fear of becoming a victim again.

The woman said that she was “extremely saddened” that someone would take advantage of someone like herself in her condition – and she felt angry and upset.

Defending barrister Gemma Gordon said it was conceded that he complainant was a vulnerable person.

But her client denied that she had been deliberately targeted.

She said that the previous conviction was different in that he had filled in paper work for others to use.

Miss Gordon handed in references which she said were from satisfied customers and from his parents.

Following sentencing, DI Mark Hughes said: “Foulkes committed a despicable act by taking advantage of someone in a very vulnerable and incapacitated condition.

"I welcome today’s sentence and hope it brings some degree of justice and reassurance to his victim.     

“We will relentlessly pursue those who cause harm in our communities, Foulkes is now where he belongs, behind bars.”