A sex worker who preyed on a vulnerable pensioner after he started paying for her services has walked free from court after getting clean of drugs.

Laura McCord robbed the pensioner when she pushed him onto his bed and pinned him down before stealing his wallet.

The 31-year-old stole his car and wallet when she managed to blag her way into his home before using the Citroen Berlingo to steal fuel from service stations.

Teesside Crown Court heard how just a matter of weeks later the defendant targeted the vulnerable pensioner again when she stole his mobile phone and cash after luring him to a house in Stockton.

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Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said the first offence took place on January 4 with the second taking place on March 3 and the final set of offences occurring on March 28.

She said the victim had regularly willingly paid McCord for her services but that changed in January when she turned up at the hotel where he was staying and demanded entry.

“When he said he had no money, she pushed him to the bed and pinned him down before taking his wallet,” she said.

CCTV showed the defendant using the victim’s bank card to withdraw cash from an ATM near to the hotel and she was arrested shortly after.

Miss Haigh said McCord then contacted the pensioner again in March and he picked her up from Stockton town centre before returning to his hotel.

On this occasion, the defendant stole £30 in cash, his bank card, and the keys for his car. She was caught on CCTV at two service stations taking fuel before driving off.

The court heard how the defendant bumped into her victim while he was having breakfast in Wetherspoons and he gave her his number again.

She contacted him on March 28 and offered him somewhere to stay as he was sleeping in his car at the time. Miss Haigh said the defendant then proceeded to steal his wallet and mobile phone when he fell asleep.

McCord, formerly of Egglestone Terrace, Stockton, pleaded guilty to robbery, fraud, theft of car, and making off without paying for fuel on two occasions.

Nicci Horton, mitigating, said was now clean of alcohol and drugs after she was held on remand.

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Judge Anthony James Brown sentenced McCord to 22 months in custody suspended for two years after accepting she was ‘under the control of her partner’ at the time of the offences.

“It seems to me that you were working as a sex worker to fund your significant drug habit.

“Reading through your history, is makes very depressing reading,” he said.

The defendant was ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.