A BOGUS charity collector who preyed on pensioners has been banned from knocking on the doors of strangers for life and locked up for years.

Donovan Moore – who cried when confronted with his crimes last time – looked shocked when a Teesside Crown Court judge passed the sentence.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told the conman: "I have to send out the message that people who target the elderly cannot expect to walk out of court."

Moore, of Eastbourne Road, Darlington, used a series of scams to trick OAPs – the eldest, 94 – out of money after cold-calling at their homes.

The 39-year-old told some he was raising money for a children's charity and others that he was selling nick-nacks for his sick daughter.

He convinced other victims that he had cleaned their windows and he was calling to collect his payment, prosecutor Liam O'Brien told the court.

The judge described Moore as "a well-experienced conman and the sort of person people hold in contempt" as he jailed him for three years.

The court heard that he dodged prison in 2013 for bogus charity collections, and again in May last year for tricking elderly victims.

Three years ago, while living in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, he claimed to be raising cash for children who were victims of domestic violence.

The charity he used to work for did not do door-to-door collections and he should have handed in his ID badge when he was discharged by them.

He was given a two-year community order when a judge heard he was "extremely upset and weeping" as police interviewed him for his crimes.

In May last year, magistrates gave him a suspended prison sentence for "sob-story" offences against the elderly, Mr O'Brien told the judge.

His lawyer, Andrew Teate, said he had been long-term unemployed, depressed, and at the time had a three-week-old baby he looked after.

Judge Ashurst told him he had committed "extremely worrying offences" against pensioners in the past and continued to despite court orders.

"You are a well-experienced conman and the sort of person people hold in contempt," he said. "There is no question you must go to prison.

"I am making a criminal behaviour order which will restrain you from attending a home offering goods or services and asking for money.

"It is necessary to protect people, and to prevent you from committing more offences. If you continue to, the sentences will get longer."

Moore, who appeared in court via a live video-link from Holme House Prison, in Stockton, admitted seven separate charges of fraud.