Fraudster Peter Taylor posed as antiques expert to take dead woman's antiques and flog them on eBay

A scammer who posed as an antiques expert took off with items from a dead woman and sold them for thousands of pounds on eBay.

Peter Taylor, 61, targeted 11 victims, fleecing them out of £255,000 including artworks, rugs, jewellery, furniture and kitchenware.

Among the victims was grieving daughter Helen Ford who was clearing out some of her mother's belongings.

"He seemed like a genuine and caring auctioneer, you think he's on your side and trying to help you," Helen told ITV News London.

"He walked around the house saying there was plenty of value in items and offering to do an inventory.

"I felt sick, I felt I had let my mother down.

"I feel like I have lost my mother three times, once to Alzheimer's, and when she died, and now her memory is tarnished with what he has done," Helen explained.

Taylor was jailed for 5-and-a-half years after being found guilty of 11 counts of fraud.

Isleworth Crown Court heard how he would go to the victims’ homes to make valuations before taking the items.

He would tell them that if the items were sold they would get the proceeds but in most instances he severed contact.

"It makes you lose your faith in people, I'm wary of everyone," Helen said.

"I work in public service myself and tell people to take care and don't get caught by scammers - it can happen to anyone," she added.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Taylor presented himself as a "trustworthy businessman" from a reputable auction house.

But his victims have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

"He declared himself bankrupt so none of us were under any illusion that we were going to get our money back," Helen explained.

We know that's gone - it's done and dusted. I've lost over £9,000," she added.

Some of Helen's treasured items were returned but most were damaged, perhaps deliberately, she said.

"Crockery that was returned was cracked or chipped. Ornaments have got chinks taken out of them. One of the pictures was taken out of its frame. I don't know how he could think he could just get away with it. He basically thumbed his nose at the judiciary," Helen said.

"They said you have to return everything and he damaged it before he sent it back. You can't take a picture out a frame accidentally - that's a deliberate act," she explained.