Jail for ‘despicable’ man who stole from Cambridgeshire 89-year-old after offering to clean her gutters

A man who targeted a vulnerable woman and stole cash from her Fenland home has been jailed.

Darrel Gowler has been labelled as ‘despicable’ by police after the 31-year-old was locked up for more than a year after admitting stealing more than £100 from the pensioner.

Peterborough Crown Court heard how Gowler knocked on the door of his 89-year-old victim and offered to clean her gutters.

After she initially refused, he managed to persuade her to allow him to do it for £40.

Whilst he was cleaning the gutters, he repeatedly entered the woman’s house to use the toilet and at one point asked for a cup of tea.

The following morning, the victim called police as she realised £120 had been taken from her purse and Gowler was the only person that could have taken it.

Detectives from the Acquisitive Crime Team arrested Gowler, 31, at his home in Baulkins Drove, Spalding on 21 February.

He appeared at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) where he was sentenced to 16 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to theft.

Detective Constable Lily Deacon, from the Acquisitive Crime Team, welcomed the sentence handed out at the court, and said: “Gowler used his charm to take advantage of the kindness of an elderly woman, who trusted him to carry out a job.

“To make the decision to target vulnerable people and take advantage of them is despicable.”