A 31-year-old conman has been jailed after forcing a woman to pay £17,000 to fix a roof which was never even broken.

David Hayes, 31, of no fixed address, was sentenced to four years behind bars after being found guilty of fraud.

Inner London Crown Court was told how in December 2016 a 70-year-old Petts Wood resident visited by a man who told her a pigeon was stuck in her loft.

She allowed the man to check the loft and was told there was a hole in the roof which was letting in water.

The man also said the wood in the loft was rotting before she agreed to hand over a cheque for £8,000 to fix it.

A second man, who was Hayes, then visited the resident days later before pretending to work on the roof.

The two men warned her the victim her electricity would be cut off if she did not pay a further £9,000.

An investigation was launched shortly before Christmas 2016 when the victim was visited by a friend who reported the incident.

DNA evidence showed Hayes was one of the men in the loft and a survey of the home proved nothing was wrong with the roof.

Hayes admitted being at the house but said he was offered work by some people and left a few hours after arriving.

The victim gave evidence to suggest Hayes was the man who took the cheque from her.

Kate Lymer, executive councillor for public protection and enforcement at Bromley Council, said: “This is a shining example of the Safer Bromley Partnership in action, with the police and our Trading Standards team working together to apprehend this individual.

“It is also a very sad reminder that our experience shows that however plausible someone may appear when on your doorstep, that for the avoidance of doubt, do not let them into your home and do not agree to any work being done.

“If you have a friend or relative who may be older and appear more vulnerable, please share this example with them as a reminder of the dangers we all face in these situations.”

Hayes was found guilty of a similar offence in 2014 where he received a community order punishment.

Nobody else has been prosecuted in relation to this incident.