A man who stole more than £60,000 from his elderly and vulnerable great aunt has been jailed for more than three years.

Paul Lattimore, 39, started acting as a carer for his 78-year-old relative, who has dementia and lived by herself in Wisbech, after being released from a jail term.

However, he used the role to gain access to her bank cards and made ATM withdrawals, purchases and transferred money from the victim’s account to his own.

He even paid a deposit for a Volkswagen Golf with her money and set up a hire purchase against her current account of £199 per month.

He registered the car in her name then ran up about 40 fines for driving in a bus lane and some for speeding.

Investigations revealed Lattimore had also signed up to a finance agreement in the victim’s name for a large television.

The theft offences took place between April last year and January.

In January this year, the victim told police she thought her money was being taken by her great nephew.

Lattimore, of Smithy, Bishop’s Hull, Taunton, was arrested by police and refused to answer questions.

However, on Monday he appeared at the Old Bailey in London and pleaded guilty to theft of £60,000 and fraud.

He was jailed for 40 months and the goods he had fraudulently acquired were forfeited.

Det Con Ralph King was also commended by the judge for his work on the case.

Det Con King said: “Lattimore callously took advantage of his vulnerable relative, who does not live near other members of her family.

“The victim was forced to sell her home to help towards her losses and is now settled in a care home.

“These were appalling offences and I hope the jail sentence reassures the victim and her family that justice has been done.”