A TRICKSTER conned a disabled man out of nearly £1,000, a court was told.
Wayne Roberts at first told multiple sclerosis sufferer John Imeson that his son was in hospital with a heart murmur and breathing difficulties and he was having to visit him by taxi.
Mr Imeson handed over money several times after Roberts drove him in his own car to cashpoints in the Lepton and Flockton areas, prosecutor Rebecca Young told Bradford Crown Court yesterday.
Eventually, Roberts said his son had died and he needed more money to buy a new suit and pay for the funeral buffet.
In all, Mr Imeson was duped into handing over £930.
Roberts, 21, of Lindhurst Road, Athersley North, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining money by deception, five of driving while disqualified and five of driving without insurance.
Miss Young told the court that the final offence involved Roberts claiming he needed £350 to pay for cremation at Barnsley Crematorium.
But Mr Imeson became reluctant and handed over less.
The deceptions only came to light a few weeks later when Mr Imeson spoke to police investigating a burglary at his home.
Fingerprints from the car - and from a birthday card given to him by Roberts - led to the trickster being traced.
Placing Roberts under a 12-month drug treatment and testing order, Recorder Tony Hawks told him: "You took advantage of a very vulnerable person and conned him out of nearly £1,000.
"You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.
"It is not an amusing or clever thing to tell people your child has died."
The judge warned Roberts that if he broke the terms of the order he would face the prospect of 18 months in custody.
