A devious burglar who attempted to say it with flowers when he conned his way into the homes of elderly victims has been jailed for eight years.

David Cooper managed to get just £60 from a 91-year-old woman in the distraction burglaries but left empty-handed from the homes of five others.

A judge told the married father-of-three she was going outside sentencing guidelines because of the severity of the case and he had committed similar offences before.

Cooper, of Caravan Site, Cinder Hill, Five Wents, Matfield, denied one charge of burglary and five of burglary with intent to steal, but was convicted.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the offences were all committed in the village of Horsmonden on May 11 this year against victims aged 70 to 94.

Cooper targeted homes in Fromandez Drive, Brenchley Road, Gibbet Lane, Orchard Crescent and Morley Drive.

Prosecutor David McNeill said Cooper was offering flowers for sale but they were just a ruse to get into houses to steal.

One man, 79, had just come out of hospital and Cooper said the flowers were for him. But he then asked for £20.

"You have caused enormous damage to your victims" - Judge Adele Williams

The pensioner said he only had money in a money box, but Cooper told him: “I don’t do piggy banks.”

“He took back the flowers and said he would give them to someone else, and walked out,” said Mr McNeill.

In the burglary in Fromandez Drive, the woman found Cooper in the kitchen. As he walked past, he told her: “That’s all done now.”

When she checked upstairs she saw that her handbag containing £60 and some coins was missing from a drawer.

Police went to Cooper’s caravan and found coins on the floor and bunches of flowers.

James Ross, defending, said a relatively low amount of money was taken and submitted they were not a deliberately targeted high value burglaries.

“I understand victims were traumatised but no threats were made,” he said.

Cooper was “totally illiterate” but had worked as a gardener, painter and decorator, on farms and done factory work.

Judge Adele Williams told Cooper: “You have caused enormous damage to your victims. They have been robbed of the confidence of living in their own homes and now many keep their front doors permanently locked.

“You showed no compassion in trying to trick them into getting into properties by telling a variety of lies about why you were there.

“You equipped yourself with bunches of flowers which were part of the deception. I have no doubt that what took place will live with them for the rest of their lives.”

The judge added Cooper had shown no remorse or insight into his offending.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Andrew Julier said: "Cooper’s offending was brazen and reprehensible.

"What makes his offending all the more malicious is the fact he targeted people who he knew to be elderly and therefore more likely to be defenceless against him.

"I have little doubt that had he not been arrested when he was he would have continued to pose a risk to the public.

"The sentence he has received is substantial and reflects the risk he presented."