A FINANCIAL advisor who conned clients out of nearly £600,000 to feed his gambling addiction has been jailed for six years.

Christopher Summers targeted a vulnerable woman with dementia who had never been responsible her finances and had no idea how much she had in the bank wrote 14 cheques worth almost £500,000.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard he duped two others into lending him money for investments, with the promise of interest in return.

Father-of-two Summers, 59, of Walmersley Road, Bury, admitted to three counts of fraud.

Judge Angela Nield banned identification of his three victims, who were referred to as Mrs A, Mr B and Mrs C.

Prosecutor Brian Berlyne said: “Mrs A was between 84 and 88 at the time of this offence, she had a bank with Santander. There was power of attorney in relation to members of her family, her mental state was deteriorating.

“Staff at Santander became suspicious about activity on this account in June 2019, they were made aware by Nationwide Bank about a cheque, they noticed other suspicious activities. Between September 2016 and April 2019 14 cheques had been made payable to Mr Summers.”

The court heard the day after Santander froze the account Summers attended their Ramsbottom branch with Mrs A, asking for this to be reversed.

Mr Berylne said a staff member realised Mrs A had little knowledge of finance and contacted police.

He said: “She had instructed him after her husband’s death, Mrs A did not have any idea of the extent of her wealth."

The court later heard he told Mr B he was investing in Howards Financial Advisors and Mrs C he was investing in a company where someone was retiring.The two agreed to this expecting to receive payment back with interest.

Mr B gave £74,000 and should have received back £27,000 on top of this but was left with £73,000. Mrs C gave £101,000, should have had £124,500 but got £38,750 back.

He claimed to work at Howards but the court heard he had only rented a room there and was self-employed.

Defence counsel Julian Goode said his client was a man of previous good character who had turned to drink and gambling after the death of his parents.

He added: “The intention was to pay off debts rather than to an intention to fund a lavish lifestyle.”

Jailing him, Judge Nield said: “It is a great sorrow to this court to see somebody who has hitherto worked hard, led a productive lifestyle, been in a relationship which until shortly before this offending behaviour in 2016 appeared to be stable."