By Rachel Smith

A BURGLAR who targeted vulnerable elderly people was eventually trapped by a cup of tea.

Ajmal Sattar, 44, who has been preying on the frail and needy for more than a decade, talked his way into his victim's homes before stealing from them.

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Now the thief, who has committed 14 burglaries using the same method, has been jailed for seven years and three months.

In his latest raid, Sattar, of Preston New Road, Blackburn, approached the house of 86-year-old Hannah Hogg at around 2pm asking to borrow a piece of paper so he could leave a note for 'friends' who lived across the road.

At first Mrs Hogg kept Sattar on the doorstep but he made repeated requests for a pencil, a drink and other needs until he was able to follow the pensioner inside her house.

Once inside, Mrs Hogg was persuaded to make Sattar a cup of tea but when she returned to the living room with the drink he asked for more milk.

As Mrs Hogg went to provide her guest with what he had asked for, Sattar took the opportunity to go into Mrs Hogg's handbag, which was on the side in the sitting room, and help himself to £15.

Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court: "He then left suddenly without acknowledgement to her.

"She is quite a spritely lady. She realised almost immediately that her handbag had moved and tried ringing the police herself.

"She then engaged her neighbour and got her son involved.

"The defendant's DNA was found on the cup of tea and because of the many, many times he had committed this type of offence the police were immediately onto it.

"He said upon arrest 'Hannah, I've known her for a few weeks' and started to say he knew her through neighbours - but she had never met him before."

In a victim impact statement, Mrs Hogg said she found Sattar to be a nuisance and wished he would leave her house.

She said: "When I realised he had stolen money from me I began to shake and I was upset. I started to wonder what he could have done to me.

"Nothing like that has ever happened to me before in my life. It has made me wary and careful. It is only £15 but it is just that he was in my house, stealing while I was there."

Bob Sashtry, defending, said Sattar had a history of mental health problems as a result of drug addiction.

In a letter to the court, the defendant said: "I'm guilty of this crime and I am very sorry for the victims. I deserve whatever sentence I get. I will be happy if you can give me a very long sentence."

Judge Pamela Badley, sentencing in the defendant's absence after he refused to leave his cell to attend the hearing, said: "Mrs Hogg was courteous and charming and although she was suspicious her natural politeness meant she complied with his requests.

"What she didn't know and we now know is that it wasn't the first, second or third time this defendant had acted in this way."