AN OAP conman was caught stealing money from a vulnerable pensioner by pretending to carry out work in her house.

Charles Murray ripped off the 88-year-old woman by demanding cash for work he hadn’t done, or had already been paid for.

He said he was planning to paint the OAP’s garden shed, but neighbours became concerned with the quality of work and stepped in to investigate.

The elderly lady, who has no relatives and lives alone, was visited by 68-year-old Murray between April 26 and May 13 2016.

It was in April he said he would carry out the gardening work and asked for asked for £100 in cash for the job.

However he came back later and asked for a further £100 for the same job, despite already receiving payment.

He did the same thing again, in total receiving payment three times for the work, which was to a poor standard according to neighbours.

On the third occasion the incident was reported to police by local residents, but due to the woman’s state of distress officers said they would return to the house later.

Neighbours, who look out for the elderly woman in the absence of relatives, saw Murray visiting the house again a few weeks later, on May 13.

The 34-year-old neighbour, and his 55-year-old mother became immediately concerned and contacted the police again about the bogus caller.

Conman Murray had asked the lady for a further £80 in cash, telling her she needed some more work done.

Murray, of Kinnear Road in Dalmarnock, who lives on his own, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court earlier this month to be sentenced after he was caught by police.

Officers found him leaving the vulnerable woman’s house with the £80 cash in hand, at which point he is thought to have said “I’m just going to admit it.”

The court heard from the Procurator Fiscal that the victim was a “vulnerable complainer and the accused has taken advantage of that.”

The fiscal said: “She was fearful of the accused.”

Murray’s lawyer said the pensioner had “something of a chequered background” and added: “It does appear to be alcohol related.

“He managed to control his alcohol when he looked after his children.

“He is extremely remorseful of what has happened and accepts it was pre-planned to a degree.”

The solicitor said he has managed to control his alcohol intake since the incident happened, and it had given him motivation to address his problems.

So far a total of £80 has been repaid to the pensioner, and he has been ordered to repay the full amount before he is sentenced.

Murray, who receives pension credit, was told by Sheriff Kelly his behaviour was “a cowardly and sustained course of conduct.”

He told him he had “two months to get the money together to repay this lady” and warned of the consequences if he did not repay “every last penny.”

Murray is to be sentenced in June before Sheriff Kelly, following repayment of the stolen cash.