A MAN who deliberately targeted the elderly and vulnerable in a spate of distraction burglaries in the North-East has had his "unduly lenient" sentence doubled.

Felix Joseph Hanrahan posed as a water board official whilst committing 13 burglaries in less than a week in Witton Gilbert, Stanley, Consett, Chester-le-Street, Houghton-le-Spring, Lanchester and Gateshead during late 2015.

The 29-year-old, from Wolverhampton, was originally jailed at Newcastle Crown Court in March for three years and nine months.

However, the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP considered this unduly lenient and referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal.

Three senior judges today (Friday, July 7) agreed - saying not enough consideration had been given to the number of crimes committed – and ordered him to serve seven years and six months behind bars.

The court heard how Hanrahan pretended to be a water board official and told trusting householders that he needed access to their homes to check the water supply for contamination.

Working with an accomplice, once he had conned his way inside one would keep the resident distracted whilst the other searched through drawers and cupboards.

In all cash and jewellery with a total value of £2,585 was taken.

Hanrahan deliberately targeted elderly and vulnerable people – many of whom lived alone. Some of his victims also suffered from medical conditions including dementia.

Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said: “This was planned operation with vulnerable, elderly people being the target.

"The original sentence failed to take proper account of the seriousness of this offending and the effect the burglaries had on the victims’ lives.

"I am pleased the Court has increased the prison term.”