A “LEECH” who robbed an elderly neighbour of her life savings so he could buy heroin has been jailed for more than four years.

Barry Davis, 31, was sentenced to four years and twomonths behind barswhen he appeared at Southend Crown Court yesterday after stripping next door neighbour Margaret Sharp, 77, of at least £60,000 over a two-year period.

The court heard how Davis’s then-girlfriend threwhim out of her home on Kent ViewRoad, Vange, towards the end of 2012.

But Mrs Sharp,awidower, took him in as she did not wish to see him on the street and initially willingly gave him money to tide him over.

However, in November of that year, Davis began abusing her kindness, even blackmailing and threatening her in order to prise more cash out of her to feed his heroin habit.

Davis would live at Mrs Sharp’s address rentfree for the next two years, taking a total of £79,000 from her, admitting at least £60,000 had been obtained illegally, with the abuse only coming to light after police searched the house following the report of a stabbing in the area last November.

Jailing Davis, Judge Samantha Leigh, called him a “leech” and said he had taken advantage of a woman who saved diligently for her old age and “bled her dry”.

She said: “This offending has left Mrs Sharp with no money, living hand to mouth, and it is despicable that a lady who saved all of her life to take care of herself in later years is now in that position.

“She wouldn’t see you put on the streets, but you clearly couldn’t care less about her – you are in the true sense of the word a leech and, over a two year period, you bled her dry.”

She added: “Mrs Sharpwas a bright and lovely lady but your frauds have left her a crying wreck and a shell of her former self.”

Prosecutor Austin Stoton said Mrs Sharp had been left to survive on a state pension of £248 a month and was in receipt of handouts from her son-in-law because of Davis’s actions.

Davis’s barrister Adekunde Tijani pointed out his client had now beaten his drug addiction.

Davis was sentenced to 50 months’ imprisonment, including time he has already served on remand, for the charge of theft, with no separate punishment for the charges of blackmail and dishonest representation.

Speaking after the hearing, Mrs Sharp said: “I attended court, prepared to take the stand and give evidence against Barry, but he pleaded guilty.

“It is a relief not to have to go through that.

“Barry started out as a nice person and I was very fond of him. Manipulation is a very strong word but I think I was manipulated by him.

“The court case has really been weighing on my shoulders. I am just really pleased that it is all over.”

A proceeds of crime hearing will be held on October 9 in an attempt to extract from Davis at least some of the money he stole.