Laura Crowhurst convinced her 61-year-old victim she was going to marry him but then fleeced him of more than £10,000

Twice before she had ripped off unsuspecting elderly victims to the tune of hundreds of pounds - crimes that landed her in prison.

But that didn't deter the ruthless 31-year-old from striking again and this time her victim was a severely brain damaged 64-year-old man who she fleeced of more than £10,000.

And while unscrupulous Crowhurst is today back behind bars, she won't be paying back more than just £1 - because she doesn't have a penny to her name.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the serial thief met her victim, who is not being identified by the Daily Echo, as he walked through Southampton city centre.

She duped him into thinking that she was his girlfriend and let him believe she was even going to marry him.

But nothing was further from the truth.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said Crowhurst simply wanted his money and regularly escorted him to the bank to take out cash. When she couldn't, she sent her boyfriend, having handed over the vulnerable man's cash card.

The court heard how the victim was a cheerful and trusting individual who liked chatting to people. He would often tell them about the places he had visited on holiday, not realising because of significant problems he had, that he had been taken on the trips by his father many years earlier.

The man would also give the impression that he had more money than he did.

The court heard that after befriending him, Crowhurst would turn up late at night, sometimes with others in a taxi, and bang on the man's front door until he answered it. They would leave together shortly after but he would return alone.

Crowhurst stole more than £10,000, ranging from £60 to £1,100 at a time, before his sister was alerted by his neighbours and called police.

Southampton Crown Court

At the start of the year, he had about £25,000 in his account - in three months that followed it had shrunk to about £13,000, the court was told.

Crowhurst was arrested and her home searched by officers who found the man's bank card as well as paperwork relating to contracts for three mobile phones.

It transpired she was on licence at the time from a 30 month sentence for defrauding two other people, one an elderly man with a short term memory loss, and the other an elderly woman from whom she had also obtained her bank card and PIN.

Crowhurst, of Hinkler Road, Southampton, is now starting a three year jail term after pleading guilty to stealing £10,700.

She was jailed for three years but cannot repay the cash as she has no money. Instead the Judge Peter Henry order her to pay a nominal £1.

Passing sentence, the judge referred to a letter she had written to the court in which she described her victim as a gentle, sweet man.

“He thought you were going to be his wife, he was utterly taken in. You acted like a parasite, sucking him for money. Vulnerable people must be protected from people acting in the way you did. This offence was utterly despicable.”

After the hearing, the victim's sister said the bank Santander had refused to reimburse him. “I am absolutely appalled but I won't give up.”

She also echoed the judge's hopes Crowhurst would take advantage of the prison facilities to tackle her drug problems.

“I hope she can sort herself out, so when she comes out of prison she will have the opportunity to lead a positive life.”