A door-to-door salesman who robbed frail and elderly people in their homes has been jailed.

Alan Heap targeted his victims in Brighton and Hove after trying to sell them dusters, a court heard.

He later returned and stole from them after persuading them that he was ill, injured or looking for a lost ball.

Heap, 22, of no fixed address, even convinced one widow he had cancer and could not drink the fruit juice she offered him on her doorstep.

He stole her handbag and bank cards, using them to take £240 from her accounts, when she went to get him some water instead.

The former heroine and cocaine addict was arrested after neighbours of another victim saw him acting suspiciously in Hove and called police.

Officers found stolen pension and bank books when they searched him.

He pleaded guilty to five burglaries when he appeared via video link from Lewes Prison before Brighton and Hove magistrates earlier this year.

He asked for another eight offences to be taken into consideration and admitted breaching a 120 hour community order imposed for an earlier burglary when he appeared for sentence yesterday.

Recorder Sir Richard Plender jailed him for a total of 18 months at Hove Crown Court.

He said: "What makes this worse is that so many of the elderly and vulnerable people you preyed upon had shown charity and goodwill towards you."