A prolific fraudster and burglar who targeted elderly and vulnerable members of the community has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison after pleading guilty to a number of offences.

Zac Mitchell, 27, from Addlestone was described by Judge Francesca Del Mese as “an established career criminal”. She added that “rather than go out and earn an honest living [you] chose to take short cuts.”

Mitchell pleaded guilty to four counts of residential burglary, three counts of fraud and two money laundering offences when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court.

Sentencing him, the judge described the offences as “appalling” and said it was, “hard to think of many things more despicable and cowardly than taking advantage of [the] elderly and vulnerable.”

The investigation into Mitchell began in 2021, after reports of homes being burgled. Further investigations revealed that a number of vulnerable victims were also being charged for unnecessary building work to be carried out.

Surrey police officers gathered evidence against Mitchell, and he was subsequently arrested and charged on 15 August 2022.

A statement from one of his victims said: “Immediately following this incident, I felt foolish and I was extremely upset that it had happened. I work as a lawyer and have prosecuted people for similar offending in the past, I should have realised I was being scammed as alarm bells were ringing for a number of reasons, but it all happened so fast, in a high pressure situation. It made me feel vulnerable in a way I had naively thought applied to other people not me.”

PC Andy McGill, from the Proactive Priority Crime Team, who investigated the case, said: “Mitchell’s repeat offending shows his complete lack of concern for his victims, many of whom were vulnerable. His actions were callous, and the effects of this will be felt by his victims long after Mitchell has served his sentence.”

As well as being sentenced five years and three months in prison, Mitchell was also issued with a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). The conditions of the CBO prohibit him from cold calling at any address and offering the occupant or owner building work. He is also prohibited from conducting any service at any address without a signed written contract between him or a company he is legally employed by and the owner/occupant. He must also not undertake any building work or property maintenance at any property without public liability insurance. The order will remain in place until 8 December 2032.

“I’m pleased that Mitchell will now spend time behind bars,” added PC McGill. “I would like to thank the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit for their work in helping us to secure a CBO against Mitchell, which will help to protect the wider community.”