London man, 33, is charged with ‘injecting 92-year-old woman living alone with a fake Covid jab’

A suspected Covid vaccine fraudster today denied swindling £160 from a 92-year-old woman by giving her a fake jab.

David Chambers, 33, allegedly knocked on the door of the pensioner’s home in Surbiton, Greater London, on December 30 claiming he had been ‘sent to administer a vaccine.’

He pressed an object against her wrist and returned a week later demanding a further £100 from the now suspicious pensioner, it is alleged.

Matt Barrowcliffe, prosecuting, said: ‘On the 30th of September this defendant called at the home of a 92-year-old lady who lived on her own.

‘He purported to administer a Covid-19 vaccine. He delivered the vaccine by pressing something to the back of her wrist and asked for payment, she gave £160.

‘He returned on the 4th of January asking for more money. On that occasion the complainant was alive to such a fraud and refused to pay him.

‘CCTV footage was circulated in the national press and that’s how the defendant was located. This was deliberate targeting of vulnerable persons.’

The pensioner was not injured by the contact with Chambers when he allegedly administered the vaccine.

Chambers appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his identity.

He also denies two charges of breaching lockdown restrictions for being outside without a reasonable excuse which will be dealt with after trial at magistrates’ court.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram remanded Chambers into custody and sent his case for a pre-trial hearing at Kingston-Upon-Thames Crown Court on 12 February.

Chambers, of Surbiton, denies assault by beating, two counts of fraud by false representation, and two counts of breaching lockdown restrictions.