A burglar who posed as a cheerful window cleaner to trick money out of elderly people and rifle their homes has been jailed for four years.

Notorious conman Luke Brewster preyed on his vulnerable victims to fund his drug addiction, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Yesterday, Brewster, 28, of The Sidings, Shipley, pleaded guilty to fraud and burglary on the day he was to stand trial.

It was his third series of similar offences for posing as a window cleaner to fleece pensioners in Bradford.

On January 8, Brewster, who was on prison licence, armed himself with his trademark cloth and squeegee and went to Ivy Bank sheltered housing at Baildon.

He got into the secure warden-aided flats after workmen left a door propped open.

Brewster tricked a 76-year-old man into handing over £4 for having his windows cleaned.

He was then offered a cup of tea and given a bottle of wine by a resident in his 80s.

He repaid the man’s kindness by stealing his wallet containing £300, prosecutor Michael Greenhalgh told the court.

In January last year, Brewster was jailed for five months for posing as a window cleaner to prey on a vulnerable elderly couple in Thackley.

He was convicted by Bradford and Keighley magistrates of fraud by making a false representation after he turned up at the couple’s home asking for money.

The 87-year-old householder gave him £20 and Brewster said he would return with the change.

The court was told that Brewster was “notorious” for posing as a window cleaner, with eight previous convictions for similar offences.

In August, 2010, Brewster was locked up for 31 months for tricking his way into the home of a woman aged 94 and stealing £8 from her purse.

Bradford Crown Court heard that his frail victim, who was deaf and registered blind, had lost the will to live since he sneaked into her bedroom.

Brewster had knocked on other doors posing as a window cleaner and asking for money after seeing a similar scam on television.

In mitigation, his barrister, Gerald Hendron, said Brewster stole to fund his drugs habit. He was ashamed of himself and knew he must be punished.