A fraudster who pretended he was in a coma was caught by police (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

A fraudster claimed he was a quadriplegic and faked being in a vegetative state for two years.

Alan Knight, 47, of Swansea, conned his elderly neighbour out of £40,000 and claimed he was unable to move from the neck down in a bid to avoid being punished for the crime.

He was caught out when doctors watching his hospital room spotted him eating, wiping his face and even writing.

Caught out (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

He was also caught on CCTV pushing a shopping trolley around a Tesco store and driving.


The father-of-three’s wife, Helen, kept up the act by being pictured ‘caring’ for her ‘comatose’ husband.



Det Con Paul Harry, from South Wales Police, said: ‘In my entire career this is the most calculated, long-term deception of a vulnerable, elderly neighbour I have ever seen.’

Even his wife played along (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

Knight had been due to stand trial but admitted the 19 counts of theft and forgery.

He was warned he faced a jail sentence next month.