Jail for conman who targeted women

A conman who targeted elderly women in a spate of distraction burglaries in Staffordshire and Shropshire has been jailed for six years.

Edward Joseph O'Neill claimed he was from the water board to get into the homes of pensioners and steal cash to fund his heroin addiction.

He struck at pensioners' homes while he was on bail for burgling an elderly woman's home in Cannock.

For one of his victims, 92-year-old Edith Roberts, of Shrewsbury, it was the second time she had been the target of a distraction burglar.

The 33-year-old had stolen £45 from the homes of two women in their 80s in Loggerheads, near Market Drayton, earlier in the day on November 1.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Judge Robin Onions said the defendant had a record of burgling vulnerable victims over a 16-year period.

Mr Adam Western, prosecuting, said O'Neill spoke to Mrs Roberts as she left her home and said he needed to check the water.

She was suspicious and alerted her neighbour Natalie Jones, who confronted O'Neill and chased him.

"He was stopped by others, including caretaker Martin Smith, who detained him until the police arrived," he said.

Mr Smith and Mrs Jones were recommended for a High Sheriff's commendation by Judge Onions for their "determined and brave actions".

O'Neill was on bail at the time of the offences, having committed a distraction burglary at the home of a 78-year-old woman in Hednesford last April when he stole £80 in cash.

Three days earlier, he was caught on CCTV using the bank card of a Derbyshire pensioner to get £300 from a cash machine, after the card was stolen at her home.

O'Neill, of Wiggington, near Tamworth, had admitted offences of burglary, handling stolen property and fraud at previous hearings.