Sean Donohoe , 30 , from Wilnecote , Tamworth , plundered a pensioner 's life savings , blowing £28,500 on shopping sprees and lavish meals out . A crooked builder befriended a widowed pensioner so he could fritter away her £28,500 life savings on shopping sprees and lavish meals out . Sean Donohoe , 30 , from Wilnecote , Tamworth , plundered the elderly woman 's accounts before spending tens of thousands of pounds on trips to the Snowdome and in shops such as Argos and HMV . He even persuaded his victim to change her will so he could reap the benefits , before secretly taking out two life insurance policies , both of which named him as the beneficiary . The builder has now been jailed for 21 months after admitting charges of fraud and theft . Sentencing him at Birmingham Crown Court , the judge said Donohoe abused the woman 's trust in 'every conceivable way ' . Judge Francis Laird QC said : 'You befriended her , you became a close friend and confidante . Because of your behaviour towards her she absolutely trusted you with her financial affairs . 'You abused that trust . You did so in every conceivable way . She effectively handed over her money to you . You were not a financial advisor . 'However she was an elderly lady , a widow , alone and highly vulnerable to a dishonest individual such as yourself . ' The court was told how Donohoe had first befriended the woman when he carried out work on her property in Tyseley in 2007 . By January 2011 , he had started controlling the woman 's finances . During that time , he applied for credit cards in her name and also ran up huge debts . The court heard how the victim also changed her will twice during Donohoe 's two-year scam , leaving everything to the defendant . But the widow was unaware that Donohoe had taken out the life insurance policies . Lal Amarasinghe , prosecuting , said Donohoe used the money on trips to the Snowdome as well as on meals and at shops . But Department of Work and Pensions checks soon discovered that the woman 's accounts were overdrawn , prompting social services to become involved . A judge at Birmingham Crown Court ( pictured ) said Donohoe abused the woman 's trust 'in every conceivable way ' . The builder has now been jailed for 21 months , after admitting theft and fraud . It led to Donohoe being arrested . Police found him in possession of four credit cards , as well as a raft of documentation , in the widow 's name . In a statement after the case , the victim said : ' I thought he was a good person but I was wrong . As a result of what Sean did to me I was left with no money and worried about paying my bills months after . I am still shocked and upset that he stole thousands of pounds . ' Nicholas Berry , defending , said Donohoe was suffering from anxiety and depression after the break-up of a previous relationship and had got into a financial troubles through gambling . 'He was spiralling into debt and owed his father a lot of money . At that time , quite clearly , he saw the opportunity to fleece the victim in an appalling manner , ' he said .
Sean Donohoe , 30 , from Wilnecote , Tamworth , befriended woman in 2007 . He took over her finances , applied for credit cards and ran up huge debts . He made her change her will , secretly took out life insurance policies and abused her trust 'in every conceivable way ' Donohoe , who admitted theft and fraud , has now been jailed for 21 months .