A painter who stole thousands of pounds from an disabled pensioner is facing jail.

Benjamin James Steads was trusted to carry out work for the 77-year-old woman with cerebral palsy from Poynton.

But the 38-year-old stole blank cheques and her bank card details to line his pockets with more than £5,500.

Steads, of South Road, Walkley, Sheffield, admitted two charges of fraud by false representation and one charge of theft by finding at Macclesfield magistrates’ court on Thursday.

But magistrates felt the crimes were so serious they deferred sentencing to Chester Crown Court next month.

The court heard that Steads had successfully bid for the decorating work through the company who manage the victim’s burglar alarm.

Catherine Whincup, prosecuting, said while painting the living room and kitchen between December 7 and 18 last year, Steads began asking for more money.

She said: “He told the victim he needed to do extra work which would cost an extra £100.

“She agreed to pay him by cheque. She has very shaky hands due to her condition so the defendant offered to help write the cheque while she signed it. He then tore out the cheque.

“He later asked for another £100 for additional work and the victim again agreed to pay.”

The victim discovered the theft on Christmas Eve when she received a bank statement, prosecutors said.

Mrs Whincup added: “The statement showed that on December 17 a cheque for £1,000 had cleared. There were another 11 transactions from the internet totalling £889.89. The victim then found cheques missing from her cheque book.”

The court heard Steads altered one of the £100 cheques to read £1,000 and attempted to cash it at The Money Shop in Sheffield. The court heard that the victim later found 28 other fraudulent transactions to Facebook for advertising his decorating business worth £3,433 and a payment to Grattan, the catalogue firm.

Mrs Whincup said: “Steads was arrested when a cheque bounced. He told police he had a £100-per-day cocaine and gambling addiction.

“He admitted tearing out three blank cheques, trying to use one in the Money Shop and making a note of the victim’s bank details. He said he simply saw the opportunity and took it.”