A ROGUE trader has followed in his father’s footsteps and been put behind bars for conning a pensioner with dementia in a doorstep scam.

Hugh Fury junior, 26, was jailed at Oxford Crown Court for six months yesterday after calling at the 90-year-old’s home and demanding £2,600 for work he claimed he had done on her drains. No work had actually been carried out.

The court heard the father-of-two, of Old London Road, Chipping Norton, made his victim fill buckets of water and pour them down the drains to try to prove they were no longer blocked when he carried out the doorstep scam in Carterton in September 2007.

His father, Hughie Fury Sr, 51, of the same address, was jailed for 40 weeks in March after he conned an 81-year-old pensioner out of £1,200 in a similar roofing scam in Wheatley.

Shaun Brunston, prosecuting, said police were quickly alerted when the victim’s neighbour, Rosemarie Partlett, became suspicious and asked her what work was being done at her home.

Other neighbours noted the registration number of Fury’s Land Rover after becoming suspicious.

Recorder Angela Morris said: “You tried to scam this vulnerable lady, who at that stage was 90 years old, out of £2,600. Had it not been for the good work of neighbour Mrs Partlett, that money would quite clearly have gone.

“Vulnerable people such as this woman are entitled to be protected by the courts from those who target and take advantage of them.”

Mr Brunston told the court two cheques were made out Mr H Fury and Dean Fury, named in court as a cousin of the defendant. They were paid into separate bank accounts, but cancelled before the cash could clear.

Fury’s name was found on a partially completed cheque left in the victim’s chequebook, Mr Brunston added.

Barry Gilbert, defending, told the court Fury had no previous convictions but was led astray and committed the doorstep scam to generate cash to pay off substantial debts.

Fury wanted to admit his guilt but was advised to deny the charge by his legal representation, Mr Gilbert added.

He admitted one count of fraud just before the trial was due to start.

Medical reports read to the court by the prosecution revealed his now 92-year-old victim’s health issues, which included dementia, worsened with the worry about appearing in court.

Ian Marriott, group manager of Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards department, said: “Thanks to the neighbour’s actions this lady did not lose any money and we encourage everyone to look out for vulnerable neighbours and make sure they don’t get exploited.

“We are happy with the sentence. Vulnerable people need protection.”

The Oxford Mail is not naming Fury’s victim.