A pensioner conned out of his life savings by a woman he regarded as an intimate friend was left so devastated he considered killing himself.

Cruel Jacqueline Rigg, 41, stole more than £5,000 from her 71-year-old victim and was so determined to fleece him she even tried to bully him into handing over £1,000 he had put aside for his funeral, Carlisle Crown Court was told.

After hearing the case, Judge Peter Hughes QC jailed Rigg for 18 months. The defendant, formerly of Davies Road, Workington, admitted four thefts.

Brendan Burke, prosecuting, said Rigg committed the offences over a six-month period last year.

"He was led to believe he was in a genuine relationship with the defendant which came to involve sexual activity," said Mr Burke.

She began asking for money early, claiming she had debts with an ex-partner. Rigg persuaded the widower to withdraw £2,000 from a cash machine. Her next big demand for cash, said Mr Burke, was for the pensioner's funeral fund.

“That was for £1,000," he said.

"He said he couldn't do that. It was money set aside for his funeral. She responded to that aggressively...as if he were putting her in a difficult position."

Regular smaller amounts were then taken - always with the false promise of repayment.

Some was handed over last March when Rigg spoke of a "good holiday deal".

He paid for that, turned up at the agreed meeting packed for the holiday but she never showed up, said Mr Burke.

Rigg's crimes had a "significant" impact on her victim.

He suffered sleepless nights and, when he did sleep, vivid nightmares, imagining the thief was still in his room. He also contemplated suicide, getting as far as laying out the pills he intended to take.

Rigg stole a total of £5,150, none of which has been repaid. Throughout the hearing, Rigg sat in the dock with her head bowed.

Tim Evans, defending, said she had faced financial and emotional pressure. "It's a mean offence and nobody knows that better than her,” he said.

Sentencing Rigg, Judge Hughes said she had admitted a particularly mean offence.

He told her: "You stripped him of his savings, making him believe he had a real relationship with you, and you told him lie after lie; that you would be in a position to repay him when you knew that was not true."

After the case, Pamela Fee, a senior crown prosecutor with CPS North West, said: “Jacqueline Rigg led this 71-year-old gentleman to believe she had genuine affection for him, and through persuasion and intimidation she obtained a considerable amount of money from him which she promised to pay back.

“Despite his many requests for the money to be repaid she told him numerous lies and excuses and she obviously had no intention of repaying it.

“Jacqueline Rigg betrayed his trust and friendship by defrauding him of his life savings. She took advantage of his good will, causing him considerable hardship and distress. She has today received a jail sentence and must face the consequences of her dishonesty.

“The police and CPS take crimes against older people very seriously and we will do all we can to bring to justice those who dishonestly exploit the trust of older victims in order to steal from them in this way.”