A man defrauded two brothers and a sister of more than £6,000 after looking after their finances when one of them became ill, a court has heard.

Christopher Alderton, 65, befriended the three siblings before conning them out of cash and leaving two of them with a total of more than £12,000 in debt.

It came after the former security guard offered to take care of their finances after one of them was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

Norwich Crown Court heard Alderton, who had been known to the vulnerable victims, all in their 70s, for a couple of years, was given access to bank cards in order to purchase shopping and pay for social services care bills.

Richard Paterson, prosecuting, said Alderton would provide receipts to the victims who he would buy food for.

But he took "extra" out for himself and was not paying the social services bills.

The frauds came to light after a local authority investigation in which the victims were spoken to about unpaid social services bills which they insisted should have been paid.

Alderton was later spoken to by police and admitted "using the victims' finances inappropriately".

Elderton, of Cotterall Court, Bowthorpe, appeared for sentence on Friday after admitting three counts of fraud by false representation between January 1, 2019, and June 19, 2023.

Recorder Ruth Brander said it was a "truly terrible thing" he had done to the three siblings who all had "significant health issues".

She said it had been a "deliberate targeting of vulnerable victims" two of whom had been left in "significant debt".

Recorder Brander imposed a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, ordered Alderton to undertake 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days (RAR) and an eight-month curfew between 6pm and 6am.

Danielle O'Donovan, mitigating, said the defendant had no previous convictions and deserved full credit for his pleas.

She said as a former security guard he had been a "decent, honest and helpful" man who "has no idea why he acted in this way".

In a letter to the court the defendant said he was "really sorry" but also "scared" of what might happen to him. 

Alderton was also ordered to pay £150 costs and a £187 victim surcharge.