A DROITWICH Spa fraudster told an elderly woman his cat had been run over and he needed cash to take it to the vet, a court has been told.

Shane Hodgkiss also tried to get money by claiming he needed it for his pre-payment electric meter.

The 31-year-old, of Mayflower Road, Droitwich, pleaded guilty to three fraud charges at Worcester Crown Court. He told one of his women targets that he needed cash for his electricity on September 15 last year and on October 1, he told an elderly woman he needed £3 to take his child to school. On October 4, he asked the same woman for cash to take his cat to the vet.

Belinda Ariss, defending, said Hodgkiss disputed the version of events in the charge relating to money to take his child to school. She said he had committed similar offences before but not for some time. A pre-sentence report was ordered and he is due to return to court for sentencing in the week of March 3.