A crooked accountant faces jail after preying on a sick pensioner and stealing her savings.

Brian Moore, 51, who also worked as a tax consultant, pocketed a total of £50,000 from small businesses and Elsie Matthews.

Mrs Matthews, 80, who is being cared for in a nursing home in Worthing, lost £6,800 given to Moore by her family, who were looking after her financial affairs.

The money was supposed to pay tax due on rental properties but Moore kept the money.

Her son, Jim Matthews, said: "He is a dreadful, under-hand, disgusting person to do this to an elderly, defenceless lady. It is horrible."

Mr Matthews, from Saltdean, said he had been a client of Moore in the past and trusted him when he needed advice on his mother's finances.

He said: "I feel betrayed. I think he thought he would get away with it because at the time my mother was seriously ill and it looked like she did not have long to live.

“He obviously saw the opportunity for an easy con."

So far no money has been paid back to his mother, who has two children and four grandchildren.

The crime came to light after Mr Matthews decided to change accountants.

Alarm bells started ringing for the family when they contacted the Inland Revenue only to be told there was no trace of the pensioner paying the tax.

Mr Matthews said: "We got letters from him saying he had paid this money. He completely lied to me."

The family went to the police and Moore, of Wilfrid Road, Hove, was later arrested.

At Lewes Crown Court he admitted six offences of theft between 2007 and 2009 and asked for two other similar offences to be taken into consideration.

As well as targeting Mrs Matthews he also stole money from three clients running small businesses. They had handed him money to pay the Inland Revenue and other agencies but he kept the money for himself.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall released Moore on bail to return to court for sentencing on October 2.