A pensioner conned out of thousands in life-savings by a rogue builder died before seeing justice this week.

Neville Doherty, who was in his 60s, retired, and lived alone, was repeatedly ripped off by Mark Riley, 50, after Riley initially offered to do some gardening at his Ramsgate home in July 2020.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that having agreed a price of £1,000, the fraudster went on to swindle Mr Doherty out of a staggering £50,000 in just seven weeks by convincing him other work was needed.

This was limited to clearing weeds and overgrown plants, erecting new fences, rendering and painting external walls, clearing guttering and painting roof tiles.

As each job finished, another was suggested, prosecutor Bridget Todd told the court, and Mr Doherty would hand over £2,000 in cash at a time.

He later told police he had been left feeling “empty and foolish” by Riley, whose deceit included claims he had 10 employees and had to “pay the boys”.

Riley, who lives in a caravan park in Military Road, Ramsgate, was arrested in October 2021 and, having denied one offence of fraud, faced a trial.

But just four days before the case was due to get underway on Monday this week, Riley admitted his guilt.

It was at his sentencing hearing yesterday where he was jailed for two years and seven months, that the prosecution said Mr Doherty had died eight months ago.

No explanation was given for the delay in proceedings but reading from the elderly victim's impact statement given to police two years ago, Miss Todd told the court: "He said it had left him feeling empty and had an emotional impact.

"He said he felt anxious and depressed but had not gone to his doctor about it because of Covid. Mr Doherty said he was just trying to press on with life and get over it.

"He had not slept well and would wake up regularly thinking about what he should have done differently.

"He felt foolish at losing such a significant amount of his life savings. He said he was angry at Mr Riley for doing this - he had earnt his trust and taken advantage of him.

"Mr Doherty said he felt like he looked like an easy touch and was very frustrated with himself."

The pensioner later moved house and subsequently died in January this year.

The court heard Riley called at the pensioners’ then home in St John's Avenue on July 8 2020. Mr Doherty recognised him as he had previously carried out driveway work for him to a "satisfactory" standard.

"The defendant offered to do some gardening and was to be paid £1,000. Thereon, over the next seven weeks, the defendant purported to carry out work on the property and garden," said Miss Todd.

"As one job finished, another would be suggested by the defendant and throughout July and August he requested sums of money, each £2,000, either for materials or payment for work.

"Mr Riley explained he needed to 'pay the boys' and had 10 employees. Mr Doherty accepted that and carried on paying the money.

"A total of £50,000 was paid in cash. Mr Doherty said he withdrew the sums from the same cashpoint and gave it directly to the defendant.

"He didn't see him with anyone else, didn't deal with anyone else. It was just this defendant."

The court was told that an independent review of the work concluded that the most that should have been charged, if carried out by a competent contractor and completed to a satisfactory standard, was £20,000.

‘He would wake up regularly thinking about what he should have done differently...’

On arrest, Riley claimed he had worked as a labourer under the instruction of a man he named as John Connors and was paid just £20 a day.

He added he would be told how much to ask for and to suggest additional work. Riley also said he did not know what happened to Mr Doherty's money.

Adam Butler, defending, said the former alcohol and drug addict not only wanted to apologise but also express his condolences to the victim's family.

"But he doesn't want to make any excuses," added the lawyer.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Taylor KC told Riley that although he accepted he had a "subordinate role" and not kept all the money, he said his part in the targeting of an elderly man over a prolonged period was a "leading" one.

"You were integral to this enterprise, you were the public face of the operation and without your actions a fraud would never have been perpetrated and the victim would have retained his money," he said.

"This may have been lost upon you as you were carrying out the fraud but the reality is this was a real human being who you were stripping of their life savings and it had more than a financial impact upon him.

"He felt empty, depressed, anxious and had not slept. All that because you took his money."