TIME TO GET TOUGH ON ELDER CRIME

For instance, a white conman who defrauds an Asian pensioner might have his sentence increased if the crime was racially motivated. Meanwhile, a white conman who carries out exactly the same crime on a white pensioner would get a lesser sentence. Gary Fitzgerald, chief executive of the charity Action on Elder Abuse, called the Home Office move welcome but “long overdue”.

He added: “We must make it clear that we as a society will not tolerate these cowardly acts against some of the most vulnerable people in our community.”

The charity estimates that just 0.3% of crimes against the elderly result in a conviction, and the culprits “often escape with flimsy sentences”.