Predatory lowlife Stuart Taylor forced a vulnerable dementia sufferer to leave her much-loved home by tricking his way into it on the hunt for valuables to steal.
The 91-year-old victim was managing to remain in her cottage despite her condition, with support from carers and her family.
But when serial scammer Taylor conned his way into her home, it left her confused and her family had to take the agonising decision to put her in a care home.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard it was in June last year that Taylor was in the area of Mariners Cottages, South Shields, pretending to do odd jobs for residents while in fact preying on the elderly.
The 91-year-old's relatives were shocked to find him in her hallway.
Taylor, of Beach Road, South Shields, was found guilty by a jury of attempted burglary.
Sentencing him, Judge Tim Gittins said: "You were no doubt intent on taking what you could find had you not been disturbed.
"You tried to bluster you way through it at the time and in your trial.
"I suspect had the jury known of your previous convictions and the similarity of your most recent previous conviction, the chances are their consideration would have been even briefer that the hour and a quarter it took them to convict you."
Referring to the victim, Judge Gittins added: "She was left very confused by you making your way into her house.
"She was saying you asked for a glass of water.
"Shortly after the incident, it was determined she could no longer live independently - something she enjoyed, living in that small cottage with her small garden.
"I'm quite satisfied you targeted your vulnerable victim because of the ease of potentially rich pickings there were, ignoring the obvious signs saying there were to be no cold callers there.
"You undoubtedly also caused concern and shock for her son and daughter-in-law, faced with you coming out of the premises."
Taylor, 52, who has an "appalling record", with 72 convictions for dishonesty, had been released on licence from a previous sentence of 32 months for similar burglaries, imposed in October 2019.
He was also on a community order imposed for handling stolen goods at the time.
Imposing a four year sentence, Judge Gittins told him: "Courts will do all they can to deter you and people like you who prey on elderly people by marking it with appropriately stern sentences."
Jamie Adams, defending, said: "Thankfully the victim was not aware enough to be upset.
"He has been in custody for much of his adult life."
The court heard there were no threats made to the victim and Taylor was assaulted in prison in an unconnected attack
