AN elderly victim of two conmen was today (Monday October 6) returned thousands of pounds she lost as part of the cruel deception.

James Dolan and Jonathan Keogh were jailed for 12 and 18-months respectively, in July, after hugely over-charging the 85-year-old woman for roof repairs at her Chester-le-Street home.

Dolan, 27, of Greenacres Stables, Haswell, admitted fraud and 29-year-old Keogh, of Station Road, Easington, was convicted of acquiring criminal property, after a trial at Durham Crown Court.

The pair collected the victim by van to enable her to withdraw £1,800 from the bank.

But they subsequently persuaded her to hand over her bank card and security number, as further ‘work’ was required.

They then drove to a cash machine where another £250 was withdrawn, before the conmen drove off and left the victim, in poor health, to walk home.

More money was withdrawn from her account and she was persuaded to make out a cheque for a further sum.

The shaken victim visited her bank two days later, however, and asked for help, fearing she had fallen for a scam.

Police were informed and inquiries led investigators to Dolan and Keogh, who were duly arrested.

The victim’s bank stopped cheques for £4,300 being cashed which still left the pensioner £4,700 out of pocket.

Investigators from the force’s economic crime team began Proceeds of Crime proceedings to try to recover the money.

A hearing was scheduled to take place last Friday (October 3).

But, agreement was reached with the defendants’ lawyers for repayment of the outstanding sum without the need for a court order.

Financial investigators from the economic crime team visited the victim today (Monday October 6) with a cheque for £4,700 and accompanied her to the bank, to safely deposit it into her account.

Arrangements were also made for an alarm chime and door chain to be fitted at her home to provide extra security.

John Foreman, who worked on the inquiry with colleague Karen Carver from the economic crime team, said: “Even by the usual standards of such conmen, Dolan and Keogh were despicable.

“They took the victim for every penny they could get and, when interviewed, denied their involvement for as long as they could.”

He added that by reaching this agreement the money was retrieved in a single lump sum, leaving the victim no longer out of pocket.

Had a Proceeds of Crime order been awaited it could have led to repayment over several months.