Man sentenced for stealing from elderly victims

John Smith's victims were granted restraining orders

A man has been given a suspended prison sentence after stealing from two elderly people on the same day.

John Smith, 31, of Gunnery Road in Faversham, Kent, pleaded guilty to burglary, fraud by false representation and sending an indecent communication at Canterbury Crown Court in January.

He was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months.

Restraining orders were also granted along with compensation for his victims.

In September 2023, Smith stole cash from a man in his 80s in Ash, Kent, during a distraction burglary, while a woman in Walderslade, Chatham, paid him £900 for gardening work that was not completed.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.