A CONMAN who went on a spending spree with his 65-year-old friend’s bank card has been jailed for 10 months.

Preston Crown Court heard Scott Gillard, 38, conned James Porter out of more than £2,000 after asking to borrow just £50 in total.

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Mr Porter, who lives in supported accommodation trusted Gillard, who he had known for about four years, with his card and PIN number as he had previously been to the local shop for him when the pair were neighbours at the flats they lived at.

In 2014 Mr Porter, who always kept a keen eye on his finances, became concerned about irregular transactions, but no action was taken, the court was told.

However when he moved into his new home he decided he would not tell Gillard, of Eaves Lane, Chorley, his new address.

On June 28 last year, one of the carers at the accommodation in Bamber Bridge told Mr Porter his nephew was here to see him.

Mr Porter was surprised when Gillard walked into his flat, asking to borrow £30, urgently.

The prosecution said he did not have the cash on him so gave his pal his bank card, telling him to take just £30 and return his card immediately.

Gillard returned to the flat an hour later and handed the card back.

However, it later emerged he had spent £420 in Asda and withdrawn £290 from two separate cash machines in addition to the £30 he had been allowed to take.

On July 12 Gillard returned to Mr Porter’s flat to move some furniture he had previously agreed to help with. But as Gillard had not turned up on the agreed day, Mr Porter had asked another man to help and the furniture was no longer at the flat.

Gillard became angry and said he would need to pay the van driver £20 for petrol.

Again Mr Porter handed over his bank card on the understanding Gillard was to take £20 only, the court heard.

Gillard was away for several hours, during which he bought £70 of drinks in the Greyfriar pub, Preston, spent £349 on a PS4 in Asda and £783 on media as well as other, smaller purchases.

He pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud worth a total of £2,347, claiming he was under pressure to repay debts of £9,000 to unnamed men in Manchester.

He said they had brought him to Preston where he had bought them drinks and bought the items on Mr Porter’s card to be sold on.

Judge Christopher Cornwall, sentencing, said: “You found out where Mr Porter was living and you came to his address, masquerading as his nephew, saying you needed to borrow money.

“You put Mr Porter in very awkward circumstances.

“He will have suffered considerable detrimental effects because whatever he had by way of savings has been, by your hand, diminished by £2,740.

“He acted generously and in extremely difficult circumstances.”