A conman posed as a church minister to trick his vulnerable, elderly victims in to giving him cash to feed his drug habit.

Andrew Midgely, 42, appeared before Keighley Magistrates Court yesterday for sentencing for five counts of fraud by false representation.

Midgely, of Kelmore Grove, Woodside, Bradford, pleaded guilty to all five offences at earlier hearings.

The court heard Midgely had tricked a 72-year-old vicar in to giving him cash and had obtained a significant amount of money from an 83-year-old woman.

Prosecutor Nadine Clough told magistrates Midgely defrauded at least £2,800 from Hilda Whitehead over an eight month period, between December 1 last year and July 15. She said Midgely had introduced himself to Mrs Whitehead as a member of the baptist church and said he needed £30 for petrol to get home. He knew Mrs Whitehead’s first name and that she attended Buttershaw Congregational Church.

He had then started turning up at Mrs Whitehead’s house regularly asking for further money.

The court heard the complainant was frightened and distressed, but had not wanted to press charges because she was too embarrassed. Her daughter contacted the police and Mrs Whitehead agreed to give evidence when she was targeted again by Midgely.

Magistrates were told Midgely had also committed a further three offences in June and July in which he called at the home of his elderly victims posing as a Methodist minister or a member of the church saying he needed money for car repairs.

Miss Clough said a further offence came to light following a newspaper appeal. On May 3, the defendant went to the Mechanics Institute Library in Bradford claiming his car had broken down and he needed money for repairs. He said he was a Methodist minister in Brighouse and was given £25 from petty cash, which he never returned.

Defence solicitor Sarah Guttman said Midgely admitted he committed the offences to buy drugs and was not proud of what he had done. She said in the three incidents in June and July, the defendant intended to pay his victims back and had left a note with his correct name and address on. She said he did not say he was a Methodist minister, but from the Methodist church.

Magistrates ordered he be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on September 5.