A cowboy gardener who has admitted to conning elderly and vulnerable victims, some of them in their nineties, out of thousands of pounds through sham services has had his sentencing adjourned for a month.

July 10: 'Born-again Christian' traveller admits scamming elderly victims out of up to £665,000 with his gardening business

Benjamin Brown, 62, of Cox Lane, Epsom, pleaded guilty in July to eight counts of fraud and four of money-laundering, relating to sums of up to £660,000 at Guildford Crown Court.

Brown preyed on people unable to look after their gardens themselves, who mainly lived in Surrey, but also in Sutton, Wallington, Richmond and Twickenham.

Judge Recorder Christopher Critchlow granted the defence’s request for an adjournment on Tuesday on the grounds of delays in the accountants’ report of Brown’s earnings, and the ‘extremely poor’ health of his father, also called Benjamin.

The court heard that Brown’s father, who suffers from kidney disease, was recently released from a hospice to return home.

Judge Critchlow said: "As an act of compassion, the court will adjourn the sentencing until Friday, October 2, and Mr Brown will remain on bail until then."

Bail conditions require Brown to remain at his Cox Lane home each and every night, but the condition that he was not to travel beyond three miles was lifted.

He targeted his victims between 2006 and 2013 trading under the names Greenfingers Gardening and Homecare Property Maintenance, which offered services including landscape gardening, paving and fencing.

He advertised in local newspapers including the Epsom Guardian and its sister paper the Sutton Guardian, in parish magazines, and by posting adverts through doors but would charge people excessively for poor quality work.

Brown responded to any customer complaints over this with threats, verbal abuse and aggression, according to Sutton Council.

Were you a victim of Benjamin Brown? Contact the newsdesk on 020 8722 6391 or email newsdesk@epsomguardian.co.uk