A WOMAN befriended her vulnerable, partially-sighted neighbour then plundered his bank account of £67,000.

Julia Cosford, 44, stole the cash while looking after 71-year-old Donald Izzard.

Mr Izzard was in ill health, having had one of his legs amputated and was also suffering diabetes and partial blindness.

Appearing in the dock at Basildon Crown Court, Cosford admitted four counts of theft.

The court heard she became friends with the victim when she moved into a property in Eastwood Road North, Leigh, in 2006.

Because of his fragility, Mr Izzard grew close to Cosford, the mother of a teenage boy and she began to “assist” him with his finances as he didn’t have any family members living nearby.

She then betrayed his trust, taking his bank card and drawing out huge sums of cash on sporadic occasions.

It began in 2007 when she took £16,777 from his account.

She then withdrew a further £28,171 in 2008, £15,900 in 2009 before cashing £6,500 worth of cheques belonging to the pensioner. The court heard there was no indication of what Cosford did with the money, but her thieving began when she ran up debts which needed repaying.

She cranked up her deceitful behaviour to an “extreme level”.

The court heard how Cosford suffered from depression and had attempted suicide on several occasions.

Judge Alan Saggerson told her despite her history of suicide attempts, she should still expect to face jail. He said: “Nicking this amount of money from a vulnerable person like this, you should know you are very likely to go to prison.”

Mr Izzard now lives in a residential care home. Cosford will be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on September 19.