A MAN who posed as a jockey and duped members of the public into giving him money to help him get to race meetings has pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation.

Steven Paul Ford, 32, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Salisbury Magistrates Court on Friday (November 13).

He admitted committing five frauds in Wiltshire and one in Hampshire, where he would approach houses and ask for money because his car had either ran out of petrol or broken down.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of using a vehicle without insurance.

The offences took place across the county, including around Marlborough, Pewsey and Salisbury, in June and July this year.

Ford was given a 12-month community order, fined a total of £300, disqualified from driving for three months and ordered to pay compensation to his victims.

Local crime investigator Angela Dowsett said: "Ford preyed on the kind nature of innocent members of the public, who believed they were helping someone out in their time of need.

"We would urge people to be vigilant about these types of scams and always report any suspicious behaviour to the police.

"They can do this by contacting Wiltshire Police on 101."