A teenager who posed as Gloria Hunniford's grandson at a Croydon bank in a £120,000 fraud has been spared jail so he can go to university.

The Rip Off Britain presenter's bank account was drained just days after an imposter described as a "look-not-very-much-alike" by the judge.

She arrived with a woman in her 40s, posing as Ms Hunniford's daughter and Alan Dowie, 18, of Oxted, Surrey, who acted as the celebrity's grandson.

Prosecutor Sheilagh Davies said it was a "deliberately targeted account where it was known to those involved there were very substantial funds in the account and the removal of funds, even £120,000, would not be noticed immediately."

YESTERDAY: Rip Off Britain presenter gets ripped off herself by imposter at Croydon bank

Personal banker Aysha Davis, 28, said the woman told her she had "a few bob" in there and had come to add the teenager as a signatory because she had been ill.

She then helped them complete the paperwork, including photocopying their driving licences, at Santander branch in North End.

Davis was accused of being part of the plot but was acquitted after less than 30 minutes of jury deliberation after saying the TV star was "not of my time".

Police are still hunting for the 'lookalike' and her 'daughter', while stand-in grandson Dowie was yesterday given a suspended sentence for his role in the scam.

Dowie was caught after £102,000 was funnelled into his bank account before his card was used to blow hundreds of pounds on clothes and £80,000 on Rolex watches.

He told police he had been recruited by a pal called 'Timmy' to go into the bank with a woman pretending to be his grandmother and another posing as his aunt.

The teenager, who has just completed his A-Levels, achieving grades allowing him the choice to attend Sussex or Swansea University, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges.

His barrister, Richard Merz, said: "Alan Dowie was taken for a ride almost as much as the bank itself."

Handing Dowie an 18-month term of detention, suspended for two years, Judge Timothy Pontius said he accepted the youngster was a "dupe" in the scam.

The judge told him: "You were the supposed grandson of the Gloria Hunniford look-alike - or look-not-very-much-alike."

He continued: "You achieved nothing accept your arrest and criminal conviction which will be on your record for many years."

"You received not a penny piece out of it. It was a totally unprofitable venture as well as it being a thoroughly stupid one.

"I therefore hope you have learned a very salutary lesson."

He added: "You are not going inside today. I don't think it would be right to deprive you of a golden opportunity to go to university, get a degree and pursue a productive, honest life in your chosen career."

Reyon Dillon, 18, of Notson Road, Croydon, who laundered some of the cash from the scam, will be sentenced on September 7.