Conman stole thousands from neighbor with dementia then faked a coma for two years to avoid trial

Let's pretend: Alan Knight in a 'coma' pictured with his wife Helen

He claimed to be a quadriplegic so ill he would frequently slip into a coma.

But when a judge saw video pictures of Alan Knight shopping in Tesco and driving across the Severn Bridge, he was unmasked as a callous fraudster.

Knight stole £41,000 from an elderly neighbour then spent two years pretending to be too sick to stand trial.

At Swansea Crown Court today, where the 47-year-old admitted 19 counts of forgery, fraud and theft, he appeared in a wheelchair and neck brace, only to be told by an unimpressed Judge Paul Thomas: "You should see the videos".

Knight, of Sketty, Swansea, who was living on benefits, claimed to be caring for next-door neighbour Ivor Richards who was suffering from dementia.

But DC Paul Harry, lead officer in the case, speaking after Knight's guilty pleas, said he systematically "drained" Mr Richards' accounts using cheques and withdrawals and taking money from Mr Richards' shares, spending the cash on "a nice caravan" and holidays in places like Dorset and Cardigan.

Knight even admitted writing out a false will with him as the beneficiary, claiming it had been written by Mr Richards, who is now aged 85 and being cared for in a nursing home.

The judge told Knight's barrister Stephen Rees he wanted the defendant to see the apparently healthy images of him, some taken as recently as August this year, so he could "come face to face with this in a literal and metaphysical sense".

The footage showed Knight pushing a trolley around various Tesco stores and it was confirmed he was there because his Club Card had been used.

Speaking of Knight's claims to be seriously ill after the hearing, DC Harry said: "There's nothing wrong with him.

"He has wasted thousands of pounds of NHS money going to places like Singleton and Morriston hospitals, claiming variously to be a quadriplegic, having seizures and going into a coma.

"Time after time they observe him and do tests and release him after a few days diagnosing nothing.

"I know there is nothing wrong with him because I obtained CCTV footage of him shopping with his wife and driving himself across the Seven tolls, sometimes towing his caravan."

DC Harry said: "Unfortunately, Mr Richards had no family and Knight took it upon himself to start caring for him.

"This is the most calculating, long-term deception of a vulnerable neighbour I have come across."

The CCTV images of Knight shopping at the Trostre, Llanelli, branch of Tesco and also at stores in Dorset where he was on holiday were shown to Judge Thomas at Swansea Crown Court on Monday ahead of what was due be Knight's trial on the fraud, theft and forgery charges today.

The judge ordered no mention of the hearing which examined Knight's state of health, but after the defendant changed his pleas to guilty he ruled the revelations made in the hearing should be made public.

Remanding Knight in custody for three weeks ahead of a sentencing hearing, Judge Thomas said: "I've already expressed concern about attempts that have been made to delay today's proceedings.

"There are aspects to this case which in my experience are unique and it seems a strong message needs to be sent out to anyone who seeks to adopt the same tactics in future."

Jim Davis, prosecuting, who did not open the case, said another aggravating feature was that Knight had made a "totally false" attempt to blame his own son for the offences.

And he added Knight had made completely false allegations against a police officer in the case.

He said: "It was all part of a concerted attempt by the defendant to avoid trial in this case."