A group of “unscrupulous” builders who defrauded a woman in her 80s of her home in north London have been jailed for a total of 10 years.

Roger Knight, 44, of Meridian Way, Enfield was among four rogue tradesmen who targeted the woman in 2008 and told her she needed repair works done to her home.

When the victim said she couldn’t afford the work, she was introduced to John Paul O'Connor, 36, of Sevenoaks, as someone who could purchase her house and complete the works while she continued living there.

The pensioner was marched to a solicitor and sold the house to O’Connor for less than a third of its market value.

She was then told to write out four cheques, totalling £70,000, which were paid into two accounts in the name of Roger Knight. Once cleared, the cash was removed from the accounts.

Samuel Smith, 40, of Old Bath Road, Charvil, then targeted the woman, saying the house needed underpinning and defrauded her of £37,000.

In 2013, the victim was told she could re-purchase the house and, with financial help from a friend, transferred £27,000 into an account held by John Keenan, 39, of Arrow Close, Luton.

Keenan took immediate steps to dissipate those funds before police became aware of the offences and launched an investigation.

Officers found Keenan had credited his 11-year-old daughter's account with over £100,000 cash over an 18-month period, which was spent on luxury goods and living expenses.

DC Rob Enderby of the Met's Criminal Finance Team, said: "This group repeatedly targeted the victim who lived alone and convinced her that she needed work done to her house, causing enormous distress.

“It will be a long time, if ever, that the victim's faith in others is restored but I hope that the conviction and sentencing of this unscrupulous group will at least help her begin to feel safer.

“I am pleased with these sentences which demonstrate just how seriously the police and the courts take these kinds of offences."

The four men appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday (June 15).

O'Connor pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and was sentenced to four years and nine months' imprisonment. He agreed to sign the house back over to the victim.

Knight pleaded guilty to money laundering concerned in an arrangement and was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for two years.

Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Keenan pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and was sentenced to 43 months' imprisonment.