A fraudster who manipulated the elderly into parting with their life savings has been jailed for seven years and ten months.

Carl Anscombe, of Amherst Gardens, Hastings, was described by the judge at Maidstone Crown Court as 'astonishingly brazen'.

The conman charged one 84-year-old Maidstone man more than £86,000 for building and maintenance work.

He also scammed a 60-year-old Dartford man, who had previously been targted by rogue builders, out of £268,000.

In this case he targeted his victim, claiming he was a court official and was going to get money back from a previous fraud involving cowboy builders.

He told the man he should not tell anyone about the 'help', as it was covered by the Official Secrets Act. Over several months, his victim handed over thousands, even taking out loans totalling £18,000.

On sentencing, Judge Carey said: Anscombe planned the frauds with subterfuge, simplicity, great cunning, determination and premeditation to satisfy great greed in his desire to obtain money from his victims."

Detective Constable Mike Prior, from the Serious Economic Crime Unit for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, led the investigation into Anscombe. He said: "Anscombe targeted the elderly and most vulnerable people in our society and he did not care what hardship and financial consequences his vile behaviour brought on his victims.

"Anscombe, who has a long offending history against the vulnerable and elderly, deliberately targeted some of his victims with the knowledge that they had previously been the victims of crime.

"Pure greed and an 'easy buck' was Anscombe's motivation in carrying out these offences."

As well as being jailed, Anscombe was given a 15-year Financial Reporting Order, which means he must report all significant financial dealings and property purchases to the police. He was also disqualified from being a company director for the next 15 years.