A fiddling fraudster who conned elderly victims in Hertfordshire out of thousands of pounds has been jailed for four years.

Ned Gumble, 42, struck at homes in St Albans and Wheathampstead as well as other parts of Herts and Beds between April 2012 and December 2013.

St Albans Crown Court heard that Gumble targeted victims by damaging their properties overnight, damaging roof tiles, front walls and sometimes throwing paint onto driveways.

The trickster would then return to the addresses the following day to charge extortionate amounts for mending the damage he had caused.

Repair jobs were then carried out to a very poor standard, allowing him to convince victims to pay more money for work they did not need.

Gumble, from Clophill in Beds, was eventually tracked down by Operation Manhunt, which investigates distraction burglary, frauds and other crimes against the elderly, and arrested in January 2014.

Det Sgt Jonathan Leak said: “Gumble deliberately targeted some of the most vulnerable members of society, preying on their trusting nature to convince them into paying for unnecessary work. I am pleased that he has been handed a substantial sentence for his deplorable behaviour.”