A Good Samaritan who made regular trips to help his elderly neighbour emptied the 84-year-old's bank account of £20,000 in order to feed his own gambling addiction.

Simon Neil Miles, 31, of Sarnau, was a regular visitor at the home of pensioner Dewi Davies, working in the garden and helping with other household chores.

Aberystwyth magistrates were told how Mr Davies had become increasing frail in his old age, but refused to go into a care home, opting instead to remain in his own property.

Miles, who lived just five minutes away, had known Mr Davies for eight or nine years and offered to help out around the house.

He was eventually entrusted with control of the online passwords to the pensioner's bank account, which had been set up to enable Mr Davies to purchase a new £4,000 bed.

Magistrates were told that only Miles had access to the accounts and he transferred more than £20,000 out of Mr Davies' savings, current and premium bond accounts between November, 1 2013, and August 1, 2014.

He claimed he had decided to take the money to pay off a £10,000 gambling debt and planned to use the remaining fund to win enough to replenish Mr Davies' accounts.

Miles admitted committing fraud by false representation.

Since the incident, Mr Davies has been diagnosed as suffering from dementia and now lives in a care home.

The court was told it was unclear whether he had been suffering from the disease at the time of the offence.

Miles will appear for sentencing at Swansea Crown Court on February 3.