A WOMAN who "brazenly" abused her elderly neighbour's trust and used his details to open an Argos account was jailed for 12 months today.

The 72-year-old gave Sharon Squires his house key while he was in hospital but unbeknown to him she went in and searched his home and stole financial documents which allowed her to open an Argos account in his name.

She ordered an iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy phone and a ladies watch worth more than £700 in total but was caught out after Argos employees became suspicious.

She had left an email in the name of “Shazzasquires” as the contact together with her telephone number but when Argos called the number and got through to a woman they called police.

Meanwhile another neighbour had called at the home to feed the pensioner's cat and fish and noticed his 40 inch TV set was missing as well as jewellery and his bank cards. Squires was not charged wth theft.

34-year-old drug addict Squires was arrested and she admitted letting herself into the house and committing fraud. Officers found she had bridged her electricity meter and stolen £200 of power.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that a letter from Argos warning the pensioner of suspected fraud was found in her house. She had also been advertising an iPad Air on Facebook for £300 even though she never received the goods because the fraud had been uncovered. 

She pleaded guilty to fraud, burglary and abstraction of electricity.

The judge heard that Squires, of Mount Avenue, Bebington, had an “appalling record” for dishonesty and was on bail for shoplifting at the time of the offences.

The Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, told her: “You committed these offences not only while you were on bail but in the immediate run up to an appearance in court. It was brazen.

“Some time between April 15 and 23 this year you entered your neighbour’s house while you knew he was in hospitall. You did so to steal documents to enable you to apply for credit in order to make purchases from Argos.

“No sooner had you made that application than you were offering an iPad for sale. You had your plan very much in mind. You were thwarted by the prompt and commendable actions of Argos which led to your arrest.

John Weate, defending said she had slipped back into drug misuse after the breakdown of her relationship. She is now getting her life back on track and had gained qualifications in jail while on remand.