A WARMINSTER man who was sentenced to four years and five months in prison for fraud earlier this year has been ordered to pay back £212,959.

Jimmy Barney, 39, of Swaledale Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by abuse of position committed between 2009 and 2013.

In June 2012, Barney began caring for a disabled man in his 60s who trusted him with his bank card to go shopping for him and run errands, but during this time, several thousands of pounds went missing from the victim’s account.

Barney also instigated the payment from the victim’s account to solicitors to draw up a transfer of the victim’s home to himself. The victim was unaware of the agreement he had signed up to.

In March 2013, the victim was admitted to the Royal United Hospital and released into full time care in 2013.

At this time, the property he had been living in, where Barney had supposedly been caring for him was deemed to be uninhabitable and a danger to human life.

Barney also destroyed all the victim’s belongings during this time leaving him with no possessions.

On April 25, Barney appeared at Salisbury Crown Court and pleaded guilty to the offences and three days later was sentenced to four years and five months in prison.

However, the investigation into the incident continued under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and on October 21 Barney was given three months in which to pay the sum of £212,959.63.

This sum includes £129,909.63 which was restrained in bank accounts during the investigation, and the victim will be compensated.

If Barney fails to pay the remaining amount of £83,050 he will receive a further two years in prison.

Financial Investigator Christine Wilson said: “This case serves to prove that we will pursue offenders until they are brought to justice and under the Proceeds of Crime Act, we will then seek to seize and retain any property and possessions obtained unlawfully.

“Barney struck up a relationship with an extremely vulnerable man who depended on him.

“He gained his trust and was supposedly caring for him. However, not only did he fail to do this, he left the victim in considerable pain and in terrible conditions in his own home whilst stealing thousands of pounds from his bank account”.

“People like Barney prey on the elderly and the vulnerable and will go to great lengths to get money from them.

“This behaviour will not be tolerated and we will leave no stone unturned in our investigations to bring offenders to justice.

"We are pleased with the outcome of the investigation which has been lengthy and complex.”