Conman pretended to be water board official to trick his way into pensioners' homes in Preston

Anthony McDermott should have been dealt with by a judge at the city's Crown Court on Monday after his original hearing was adjourned due to delays in preparing a psychiatric report.

But the 57-year-old, who has been held in prison on remand since July, was told by a judge it will be another eight weeks - March 12 - before he learns his fate.

Judge Richard Archer said: "I accept that the delays are not your fault."

And he assured him: "You will be sentenced on March 12 whether (there is) a report or not."

McDermott, of Rawcliffe Drive, Ashton, Preston was arrested in July, two days after two "distraction burglaries" where pensioners were duped into thinking he was a meter reader from water company United Utilities.

They unwittingly let him into their homes where he stole small amounts of cash and property.

He was picked up by police within 48 hours of the incidents and pleaded guilty to two offences of burglary and fraud.

He was remanded in custody by magistrates pending sentencing before a judge at Crown Court.

McDermott appeared before Recorder Michael Blakey in October when he expected to be sentenced.

But he was told  there had been "an undue delay" in preparing a mental health report in time.

Recorder Blakey agreed to the postponement, provided a full mental health assessment was available by the next hearing in mid-January.

But the court heard this week that the psychiatric report had still not been done and the matter would have to be put off once again.

Barrister Mark Stephenson, representing McDermott, told Judge Archer the report "would have been before you today had the process run properly."

Judge Archer set a date of March 12 and said: "Whenever we fix it for now that is the date that sentence should be done."