A GANG of burglars who targeted old people were yesterday jailed by a judge who said they must expect to suffer for preying on elderly victims.

Among the victims of the three men and one woman were a 91-year-old man and a woman who suffered from Parkinson's Disease.

Posing as water board officials, the men gained entry to homes in Darlington, from which they stole money and cash cards.

Some of the pensioners in the town and in nearby High Coniscliffe village become suspicious and the gang fled in a Mercedes Benz car driven by the woman.

She was arrested when another motorist reported her erratic driving. Others in the gang were arrested later in the south of England, Graham Gaston, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court.

The woman said she had travelled from Dublin for a family funeral.

However, after investigations in the North-East and the South by Detective Constables Grahame Chapman and Stephen Chinner, of Darlington CID, they admitted their parts in the burglaries.

Judge Tony Briggs was told by Mr Gaston that all the elderly victims had been badly affected by their experiences.

The judge told the gang: "Those who prey on the elderly have to be discouraged.

"The victims in this case were all over 70 and have been brought up in an atmosphere where respect for the elderly was a good deal more common than it is these days.

"All of them have been extremely affected by your activities. It must be made known that those who prey on the elderly must suffer, and suffer considerably."

All four pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglaries between last December and January this year.

James Hanrahan, 28, of Victor Road, Harrow, Middlesex, was jailed for five years. John Hutt, 20, of Fletchers Way, Hemel Hempstead, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years.

Hanrahan's wife, Margaret, 24, of Edward Street, Stockton, and, Thomas Wickens, 18, also of Fletchers Way, Hemel Hempstead, were both locked up for three years and 11 months. The judge confiscated the Mercedes car.