Evil conman is jailed

Christopher Roland McKillop's latest victim lost almost £3,000 when he was targeted by the heartless fraudster.

Mr William Burrows, who lives in the Pendle area, was left so distraught he was unable to sleep. McKillop later told police he had been high on drugs when he took the 81-year-old's bank card and used it repeatedly. McKillop had given Mr Burrows a bank card back, the defendant's own, with his name on, a court was earlier told.McKillop (36) formerly of Padham and Burnley, struck while subject to a suspended jail term, imposed last January, after he used the bank card of a 92-year-old woman suffering from dementia.He has recently been living in Redcar, where he was said to have gone to start a new life on the victim's money and where he was arrested on January 3rd.McKillop had earlier admitted six counts of theft or fraud, last August before Burnley magistrates and had been committed to Burnley Crown Court to be dealt with. He was sentenced there on Thursday by Recorder John Jones, QC. Bench chairwoman Mrs Janet Pickup had earlier told him at the magistrates' court: "Not only is it dishonest, it's evil. It's absolutely evil and it's not the first time you have done it."Prosecutor Mrs Tracy Yates had told the lower court that last August Mr Burrows was at home when there was a knock on his door.The defendant persuaded the victim to let him in and told him he needed some work done on his roof as it had a leak.

Mrs Yates added: "Mr Burrows took his word for it and allowed him to deal with the alleged leak. He gave the man his bank card and PIN number, trusting he would take the correct amount. The defendant made several withdrawals and paid for a number of items using that card over the next few days. He did give the victim a bank card back, but gave him his own bank card, in the name of Christopher McKillop." McKillop took £2,958 from the victim and spent money at Matalan, Next, Argos and Sports Direct. Halifax confirmed the card the victim had was McKillop's and was registered at Elizabeth Street, Burnley.The prosecutor said the defendant was caught on CCTV using the victim's card at a till at Sports Direct and was actively sought by the police. He was arrested after intelligence led officers to an address in Redcar.Mr Aftab Bakhat (defending) had earlier told the magistrates: "There is no defence in respect of my client's actions. There are explanations as to why he has behaved in the manner that he has."He says that he did resort to drugs. He was living on the streets and did not have a roof over his head. He used the bank card to pay a drugs debt and make a fresh start."The offence is distasteful. It's abhorrent. It's the lowest of the low, something which he appreciates now in the cold light of day, but at the time he says he wasn't thinking straight and was fuelled by the drugs. He wishes to apologise for his actions. "