A MAN accused of duping a man in his 70s out of more than £35,000 over the course of several months last year will stand trial.

John Hart, of Pokesdowne, Bournemouth, is alleged to have committed fraud between October 2013 and August 2014 at the home of the vulnerable Swindon man, after misleading him over work needed to be carried out and then failing to complete what he promised to do.

It is alleged that 59-year-old Mr Hart made a profit of around £35,000 out of Mr Taylor, of The Mall, before disappearing.

Mr Hart denied the offences when he appeared before Swindon magistrates yesterday. His case has been transferred to Swindon Crown Court.

Nick Barr, prosecuting, said that given the amount of money and vulnerability of the alleged victim, the charges were so serious they would have to be dealt with in the higher court.

He said the Crown would make representations that it is not suitable for the magistrates court.

He said: “The reason the Crown say that is the length of the period in which the offences have occurred.

“These are offences involving targeting a vulnerable, elderly gentleman, who is in his 70s.

“They take place over a number of months.

“There is also the value of the fraud to the vulnerable victim, who had paid rather large amounts of money over to the defendant.”

Joshua Normanton, defending, applied for bail conditions to be varied so that Mr Hart would be allowed back into Wiltshire.

He said: “There will be one extra witness for the prosecution and for the defence in regard to the issue of whether any work should have been provided and whether it was costed correctly.

“I would argue it is unnecessary to ban the defendant from the county of Wiltshire. This is an offence against a single person and not an area.”

District Judge Simon Cooper, presiding, told Mr Hart: “This will be sent to the Crown Court on the basis that Mr Taylor was very vulnerable and the sum of money gained was in the region of £35,000.

“You had been subject to bail conditions not to enter the county of Wiltshire with the exception of the city of Salisbury, or to come to pre-arranged court hearings and meetings with his solicitor, but I lift that condition.

“You are not to contact the victim in this case or any of the prosecution witnesses, and not to go to an address in The Mall, Swindon.

“This is a very serious case involving large sums of money and the age of the person involved.

“I have decided that your case will be tried in the Crown Court with your first hearing date on February 27.

“You will commit an offence if you do not attend on that date.”