A CONMAN who preyed on vulnerable neighbours and left their lives in ruins has been jailed.

Adrian Gray’s callous scams cost a pensioner his marriage and put a single mother in hospital, while another had her child taken into care. Others lost their life savings. He even took money from a woman with dementia.

A judge told him his crimes were “cruel, heartbreaking and the cause of tremendous grief”.

Gray, of the Poplars, Fovant, conned his elderly neighbours after pretending to be their friend.

Salisbury Crown Court heard on Friday he had an “appalling record” for fraud and deception, stretching back four decades.

Gray, who has 19 convictions for 80 offences, including 43 of fraud and 25 of theft, was jailed for three years and eight months after admitting conning his victims out of more than £15,000.

Defending, Gemma White said the single father-of-four, had committed the offences, not to “live the high life”, but to support his family by taking what he called “the easy way out”.

Miss White asked the judge to suspend the sentence for the sake of Gray’s children, who faced being taken into care.

Judge Stephen Parish said Gray’s record for dishonesty was “appalling” and he was “a professional conman”.

“It’s not simply the number of victims, but the variety of deceptions you employed,” he said.

“These weren’t total strangers, but worse these were neighbours whom you befriended. Why you decided to return to fraud so spectacularly I have no idea.

“You have no work ethic at all.

“It’s a great pity you couldn’t have put all the effort and persuasion you used to defraud people into just, gainful employment.

“[Your] children are four more victims of your offending.”

After the hearing, the relieved victims told the Journal they were pleased it was over and they could start rebuilding their lives.

Gray admitted 14 counts of fraud by false representation.

The serial swindler conned 74-year-old Ivor Wright out of £7,650 in a scam that ultimately cost the pensioner his marriage.

Prosecutor Rebecca Austin told the court Gray had promised to help secure a Visa for Mr Wright’s Gambian wife for £650. He also promised to sell Mr Wright half of his fencing company for £1,000, and help him buy a plot of land in Dorset.

But the Visa, the business and the land were “completely fictitious”. Mr Wright said the crimes had had a huge affect and ruined his marriage.

“We pinned all our hopes on him so we could be together again,” he said.

Now Mr Wright lives on benefits, alone, his savings lost.

Gray told his next victim, 79-year-old neighbour David Hooper, he could get him a cheap deal on a car for his granddaughter.

Mr Hooper believed Gray was “completely trustworthy” and parted with £1,650 – but never received the car.

He also lent Gray money for building materials and to help his brother who had just been released from prison. All he got in return was “excuse after excuse,” the court heard.

Mr Hooper told the court “all the lies Mr Gray told us [were] really hurtful”.

“We thought he was our friend. He was just conning us out of our life savings.”

Another victim, 84-year-old dementia sufferer Judith Snowdon, gave Gray £100 to fix her gate. He never came back.

While on bail for these offences, Gray targeted single mum-of-four AnnMarie Rickett. He promised to take her and her children on holiday with his family. She gave him her £300 savings, the family packed their bags and waited for Gray to pick them up. But he never came.

Miss Rickett said she had been “totally deceived” by “cruel” Gray. The holiday had been her last chance to save her relationship with her son.

Gray told another victim, Sophie Ring, that the house next door to his was available for rent, and promised to help her secure it in exchange for £670.

She packed her family’s belongings and gave notice on her home, but later found “to her horror” that the entire story was a “fabrication from start to finish”.

The “trauma, stress and worry” of almost becoming homeless with four children caused Miss Ring to be admitted to hospital for a week.

While she was in hospital, Gray told her he would help her pay the rent. But he kept the £450 she gave him. The ordeal left Miss Ring in debt and had “massive psychological effects on her autistic son”.

Gray duped Miss Ring’s brother, carpenter Matthew Todman, out of £700 for materials for an “entirely fictitious” job. And he offered to buy a property for Mr Todman to rent, asking for £1,900 in solicitors’ fees. But there was no purchase and Mr Todman lost his life savings.

He had planned to get a mortgage, but now must continue to share a room with his daughter at his grandparents’ home. It will take five years for him to save the money again.

Gray targeted Daniel Compton in a similar sting, again promising to rent him a house.

Mr Compton lost £550 in what he described as a “rollercoaster ride of emotions”.