A man has been charged after elderly victims were scammed after hiring someone to do gardening work.

On Thursday, September 7, a woman in Walderslade reported paying around £900 for work to be done which wasn’t completed.

On the same day, money was reportedly stolen from the house of a man in his 80s in Ash during a distraction burglary.

The following Thursday, John Smith, of Fairview Road, Sittingbourne, was charged with burglary and fraud.

The 30-year-old was also charged with malicious communications in relation to a number of phone calls reportedly received by the Medway victim.

Mr Smith appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Friday where he was remanded in custody.

The case will next be heard at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday, October 16.