A MAN has denied burgling two elderly women including one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Anthony Archer, 56, is alleged to have distracted an 89-year-old woman living in Vista Road, Clacton, by asking for a glass of water while another suspect sneaked into an open back door to steal a purse containing a bank card.

The card was then used at a nearby Natwest cash machine later that day on June 1.

Archer, of Cedar Avenue, Tiptree, is also alleged to have stolen cash and jewellery from a woman living in Queen Elizabeth Way, Colchester, between July 12 and July 17.

The victim’s daughter had been with her a few days earlier and left £170 in cash for her mother, who suffers with Alzheimer’s disease, to spend.

Her son visited and found there was no money left and items of jewellery were missing.

On the first incident Samantha Lowther, prosecuting said: “A man knocked on the woman’s door and said he was doing some work in the area and asked for a glass of water.

“She said he could go round the back to use the tap but he said he wanted a glass.

“She would not give him one but they talked for about 20 minutes.

“Afterwards she realised she had left her back door open and her purse and bank card was now missing.”

On the Colchester incident, she said: “The lady suffers from Alzheimer’s and is cared for by her daughter.

“On Thursday they had gone shopping and she left her with money but by Sunday there was none.

“Her jewellery box also had items missing.”

Archer denied two counts of burglary and five counts of fraud by false representation by trying to use the bank card when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Steven Levy, defending Archer, said although a car associated with him had been spotted in Clacton during the first incident he did not always drive it.

He also said the defence would be calling a facial recognition expert to try to disprove images which are claimed to be Archer trying to use a card on CCTV were actually him.

Judge Christopher Morgan denied Archer bail and told him his trial would be on the warned list starting on January 2 next year.

A hearing will be held in September to see if the two cases will be heard together or separately.