A roof repair fraudster who tried to charge a pensioner £13,600 for work has been ordered to pay his victim £1,500 compensation.

John Watson, 39, of Bedmond Road, Abbots Langley, also received a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, on October 16 at Oxford Crown Court.

Watson claimed on February 6 last year that felt on the roof of the pensioner's home, in Carterton, Oxfordshire, needed mending.

A jury at Watson's trial was told that a surveyor who subsequently inspected his work on the property had concluded that none of it was required.

The victim had given Watson a £13,600 cheque, which was cancelled before it was cashed.

Watson was found on August 22 guilty of fraud and a commercial practice charge relating to him stating that the roof felt needed replacing.

He was acquitted of three other charges which related to commercial practice, following a five-day trial.

Anu Prashar, from Oxfordshire County Council's Trading Standards team, who prosecuted Watson, said: "Watson tried to prey on an elderly person for thousands of pounds for work that was not required.

"I am pleased that the judge recognised the severity of his offences by imposing the sentence that he did and by ordering Watson to pay compensation.

"It is simply not acceptable to try and con people and this case just shows the lengths unscrupulous traders like Watson will try to go to when attempting to obtain money dishonestly."

Watson was also ordered to pay £5,000 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.