A father and son team that targeted and conned elderly people across the south east out of an estimated £15,000 have been jailed.

Jimmy Chuter, from Montrose Avenue in Datchet, and his dad Albert Webb, of The Paddocks, Lyne Road, Virginia Water in Surrey, were sentenced to prison at St Albans Crown Court last week.

The pair stopped victims - who often suffered from dementia or Alzheimer’s - close to their homes and demanded payment after claiming they had completed work on the roof of their properties.

This included an 81-year-old man from Watford who handed over £110 to Webb after he was visited twice in February 2012 and 2013.

On February 4, 2013, the pensioner was told Webb had carried out work on his guttering while he was out and demanded £40.

He entered the victim’s home and quoted the man a further £140 to carry out decorating work upstairs. The victim handed over £110.

The pensioner had been targeted on February 13, 2012, by Webb, who told the man ‘I’ve done a job for you. You were out but you’ve got to pay a fee of £25’ but he refused to hand over his cash.

Webb was captured on CCTV on the pensioner’s doorstep.

Detective Constable Kieran Doyle from Operation Manhunt, said: “This pair showed absolutely no regard for their victims, some of whom they would follow from shopping centres.

“They particularly preyed on older people who may be more easily confused into believing work had been done to their property.

“Their behaviour really is the lowest of the low but through the sheer determination of the Operation Manhunt team, who are specialists in this type of criminal activity, they soon had their comeuppance.

“And when they faced their day in court the evidence against them was so strong them had no choice but to plead guilty, saving their victims the trauma of having to give evidence against them in court.

“I am pleased that the judge saw the seriousness of their behaviour and has handed down substantial sentences.” In total, police uncovered 35 offences committed by Webb and Chuter between February 2012 and February 2014 in Hertfordshire, Avon & Somerset, Hampshire, Oxford and Surrey.

The majority of victims were women aged in their 80s and 90s. The oldest victim was a 97 year old man.

Some victims would hand over the cash or, if they didn’t have any money on them, Chuter and Webb would drive the victim to a bank.

The pair also committed a burglary, with one of the men distracting the victim whilst the other searched the house for more cash.

The investigation was led by Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Chuter and Webb were sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to the offences.

Chuter was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to defraud. Webb was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for conspiracy to burgle, conspiracy to defraud and a stand-alone charge of fraud for a historic matter.

This sentence will run consecutive to a sentence of three-and-a-half years received in December 2014 at Worcester Crown Court for similar offences committed while out on bail.

In total, it is believed they gained £15,000 from their crimes and officers have started proceedings to confiscate their criminal gains.

A third man is still wanted in connection with the series of crimes. Jessie Webb, 19, of The Paddocks, Lyne Road, Virginia Water, Surrey, is believed to be in the areas of Surrey and London.

If anyone knows of Jessie Webb’s whereabouts contact police via the non-emergency 101 number or call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.