A heartless conman stole a van knowing that the owner was selling it to raise money for his parents who had been victims of fraud, a court heard.

Bradley Dobson, who had not long been released from prison, even callously offered an extra £500 above the asking price of £4,500 to help out with the fundraising efforts.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard the recidivist thief and fraudster simply drove off in the Ford Transit without handing over any money.

Brazenly, he then sold the vehicle for £500, only to steal it back later that day with a £2,000 quad bike in the rear.

The 49-year-old, who has 22 previous convictions for 53 offences, continued with his audacious week-long crime spree in Medway and Swale by then duping the owner of a breaker's yard into buying the two vehicles for £500.

Undeterred, he went on to trick a couple into handing over £160 for fence repairs he never carried out.

The court heard that Dobson also told his victims a number of sob stories, including that he was recovering from chemotherapy and a grieving father.

But he was eventually arrested after an appeal for help on Facebook by van owner Liam Feekings led him to discover it had been sold to an unsuspecting Jack Courtney and then re-stolen.

Now, having been described by a judge as "dishonesty to the core", Dobson is starting a jail term of three years and four months.

Dobson, formerly of Dumergue Avenue, Queenborough, but then of no fixed address, admitted two offences of theft and three of fraud.

Prosecutor Paul Edwards told the court Mr Feekings had his van up for sale outside his home when he was approached by Dobson on July 2.

"He was selling his van to help his parents out as they had been the victims of a fraud to the tune of £5,000," said Mr Edwards.

"He told the defendant why he was selling his van and wanted £4,500. Knowing this, the defendant said to help him out he would give him another £500."

Dobson, who claimed his name was Cameron, promised to return the next day but did not show and he later rang Mr Feekings to apologise and explain he had been in hospital.

On July 4, Dobson had a test drive of the van and purported to ring his wife to discuss a bank transfer, continued the prosecutor. Then, having been given the vehicle "on trust", he promised to return the next day with cash.

"What followed was the inevitable," Mr Edwards told the court. "The defendant didn't appear with the cash."

At this point in the sentencing hearing, Dobson interjected over the prison video link and said: "He got the van back."

Mr Edwards continued to tell the court that Mr Feekings contacted a number of people via Facebook, posting a photo of Dobson, said to have distinctive tattoos, and stating he had stolen his van.

This led to him discovering that Dobson had not only sold the vehicle to Mr Courtney on July 5 but, having helped to load the quad bike into the rear, returned to steal it.

"Mr Courtney was in his back garden when the defendant popped his head over the fence and said he had left something in the van and asked for the key," said the prosecutor.

"He gave him the key and the defendant drove off with Mr Courtney's quad bike inside."

Dobson then sold both vehicles and a barrel of diesel also in the van at Bobbing Breakers Yard in Sittingbourne that same day.

His final victims, Janice and Peter Hunt, were duped six days later on July 11 after Dobson claimed to have fallen off his bike.

Having been taken to their home to clean himself up, he told the couple his daughter had "recently passed away with a hole in the heart", the court was told.

This led to them chatting about odd-jobs and Dobson agreed to carry out fence repair work for £60. However, once at the cashpoint, he conned Mr Hunt into handing over £160.

"The defendant said he would return the following day. He never returned," continued the prosecutor.

The court was told that although the van and quad bike were recovered, Mr Courtney and the breaker's yard owner were both out of pocket to the tune of £500, and the Hunts in the sum of £160.

Of his 53 previous crimes, 43 were said to be for theft and fraud. At the time of this offending he was on prison licence, subject to post-release supervision by the probation service, and living in approved accommodation in Queenborough.

James Burke, defending, told the court Dobson was in a "desperate" state after his release as he had no medication for his severe depression or money.

He also said that Dobson had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and suffered three family bereavements so any suggestion he had lied about that had caused him "a great deal of stress and anxiety".

Jailing Dobson, Judge Simon James told him it was "justified and necessary" to impose a prison term outside of sentencing guidelines in order to reflect his "systematic and cynical exploitation of others for personal gain".

"It is obvious you are dishonest to the core and will take any opportunity that presents itself to steal," he said.

But the judge added he suspected the fact Dobson was entitled to credit for his guilty pleas, despite the "overwhelming" evidence, and would only have to serve half his jail term, may "simply add to the frustration and sense of injustice felt by honest, hard-working people", including his victims.

Speaking after the hearing, investigating officer PC Alice Crofts said: “Dobson carried out this criminality in order to financially profit. He didn’t have any regard for his victims and committed numerous offences over several days.

“His sentence is wholly deserved and I hope it serves as a deterrent to others who may think this kind of behaviour is acceptable.”