A police officer told a jury he saw a man accused of conning an individual with learning difficulties, driving along an Oxford street with other suspected fraudsters.

Richard Melhuish, 24, is alleged to have been part of a group of men who visited 48-year-old Robert Boulter at his home in Howard Street, East Oxford, pretending to be pest control officers.

Giving evidence at Oxford Crown Court today, Pc Aidan Bradbury said he saw two "smartly-dressed Irishmen" knocking on doors in Howard Street on March 23. When he stopped them to ask what they were doing, they said they were looking for work paving driveways.

A man in a blue van, who was driving slowly behind the two men, gave his name as Richard Smith. But Pc Bradbury told the court he was Melhuish. He was later arrested, because no driving licence could be found on the police computer that matched the name he had given.

The court had heard the group had demanded a total of £7,000 for "de-infesting" Mr Boulter's home of rats.

He gave them £2,000 in cash and had withdrawn an additional £5,000 to give the men.

Melhuish, from Aldermaston, near Reading, denies two counts of fraud by false representation.

The court also heard from Maureen Thomas and Lisa Sawyer, cashiers at Lloyds TSB in Temple Cowley.

Mr Boulter had withdrawn £2,000 from the branch on March 23 and Ms Thomas said he had told her it was to pay for some men to "get rid of a rat" for him.

She advised him that it was very expensive and he should go to the council instead.

The jury heard that after Mr Boulter tried to withdraw £5,000 the following day, the branch called the police.

Officers accompanied Mr Boulter to his house, where the men were waiting.

The case continues.