A MAN who tried to defraud a Helensburgh OAP by asking for her bank details when he called at her home will have to wait behind bars for another week to learn his fate.

John Bechara was first remanded in custody in connection with the offence on February 9, after a sheriff was told he had failed to turn up at court and had not attended appointments with a social worker to enable a background report to be prepared.

He was brought back to court on March 2, and again last Thursday – but on each occasion his solicitor told the court the report was not yet available.

Bechara, 26, of Annandale Street in Glasgow, pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to trying to access the 78-year-old woman's bank card and pin number by fraud by turning up at her home in Old Luss Road on September 8 and 9, 2015, and pretending to be a courier from the Bank of Scotland.

On his latest court appearance Bechara's solicitor, Pamela-Jane Connelly, said that staff shortages and illness meant a social worker had not been able to visit her client in Greenock prison to interview him.

Ms Connelly asked that her client be released on bail in view of the month he had already spent behind bars.

She said “He is fully motivated to attend as and when required for the completion of reports. He is extremely motivated to have this resolved, and understands the consequences of not complying with court orders.”

But Sheriff Maxwell Hendry replied: “He's in custody because he repeatedly failed to come to court and to attend social work appointments. He's the author entirely of his own misfortune.”

Turning to address Bechara directly, the sheriff said: “Bail works on the basis of trust, and I'm afraid you have lost this court's trust.”

Bechara was returned to custody after his appearance, and will be brought back to court on March 23.