A CONMAN cheated an elderly woman out of £20,812 after calling at her home offering to help with building work.

Michael Edward Hogg, 23, was jailed yesterday for two years and six months after Durham Crown Court heard that he spent the money on gambling, drink and drugs.

Hogg called at the 84-year-old widow's home in Horden, east Durham, in the summer, claiming to be a builder called Johnson.

He told her he could fix some loose coping stones on an outside wall, which could be a danger to people walking past.

Hogg returned several times asking for loans from the woman for a variety of debts, including a tax bill. He also asked for money to buy a van and ladders for his building business.

Richard Cowen, prosecuting, said the victim, who is sprightly for her age, now feels she acted like a fool in trusting Hogg, believing he intended to pay her back.

The matter came to a head when she received notification from her bank that she was overdrawn, which came as a shock as she had always been in credit, said Mr Cowen.

Bank statements revealed that money had been regularly withdrawn from her account via cash point machines.

It emerged she had given Hogg her personal identification number and her bank card.

Hogg was arrested and admitted calling at the woman's home and admitted calling himself Johnson.

He told police he always intended to pay her back, but accepted he did not have the means.

Hogg, of Hart Lane, Hartlepool, admitted obtaining money by deception.

Robin Denny, mitigating, said Hogg had genuine remorse for his actions, both for the victim and the shame he had brought on his family, never previously in trouble with the police.

Mr Denny said most of the money funded Hogg's gambling and drug problems.

Judge Guy Whitburn said: "You're a conman and I think when you claim to show remorse you're conning yourself."

The judge said the amount of money taken represented a large proportion of the victim's savings.