A fraudster has been jailed after conning an elderly woman out of £50,000.

Muzfur Islam, 40, of Dunmow Drive, Rainham, London, was thrown behind bars for seven-and-a-half years after he pretended to be a police officer and scammed the 81-year-old victim.

The woman, from Denham, received a number of phone calls from Islam between September 1 last year and June 12 this year, who claimed to be from police and told the victim she needed to transfer money from her bank account to keep it safe.

Throughout this time, he scammed the woman of around £50,000 and also unsuccessfully tried to get ownership of her home.

He was arrested on June 12 this year and was charged the following day. He was found guilty of two counts of fraud by false representation yesterday (Thursday), after an eight day trial at Aylesbury Crown Court.

Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Zoe Hardy from the Investigation Hub said: “Islam has engaged in a lengthy and calculated course of conduct with the sole aim of stealing from an elderly and vulnerable woman.

“Not content with duping the victim in parting with her life savings, Islam persisted in a campaign to gain ownership of the victim’s home, but thankfully he was unsuccessful in his aim.

“I wish to pay testament to the bravery of the victim in coming forward and reporting these offences.

“This case should serve as a warning to other would-be fraudsters that the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts will deal with such cowardly offending robustly.”