A pensioner paid more than £38,000 for routine house repairs that should have cost only a fraction of the amount, a court heard.

John Stephenson, 41, took advantage of the lonely householder, who he knew to be "a man of some means".

He regularly turned up at his home and claimed to have carried out work, in many cases having done nothing at all, and was paid by cheque, in regular sums, mostly for £2,650.

The scam went on for up to nine months until a cheque for £10,000 went out of his account and the bank made inquiries.

That resulted in the victim making a complaint to police in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, last May.

He told police he answered a knock at the door several months earlier from Stephenson, offering to repair dislodged roof tiles.

Having agreed, Stephenson made regular visits and even claimed to have built a wall in the loft.

Don MacFaul, prosecuting, said: "An examination was made around the home and there was no evidence of any major repairs. There was certainly no wall built in the loft."

In all, the pensioner paid 14 cheques to Stephenson, for sums totalling £38,660.

Stephenson was arrested and made admissions, saying he had done some roof repairs and drainage work, but often returned to do small jobs, and admitted he should have charged about £4,000.

He told police he blew the money, lavishing gifts on his children, treating them like queens, while also spending much of it gambling and drinking.

A second man, Alan Charlton, was arrested and agreed he was approached by someone and agreed to cash a cheque for £10,000, for which he was paid £2,000.

Stephenson, of Arundel Drive, Darlington, admitted four charges of obtaining by deception, and Charlton, 24, of Dalton Crescent, Shildon, County Durham, admitted a single count.

Richard Bennett, for Stephenson, said he had drunk with the man previously, and knew of his wealth.

Emma Gough, for Charlton, said he was of previous good character, and knew nothing of the victim in the case.

Jailing Stephenson for two years, Judge Beatrice Bolton told him: "You recognised he was a lonely and vulnerable gentleman, who valued your company and trusted you to be carrying out work you said you were doing."

Charlton received a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, during which he will undergo probation supervision.

* The Northern Echo's Doorstoppers Campaign was launched in 2003 to crack down on bogus tradesmen and cold callers across the region.