A woman who swindled an elderly pensioner out of nearly £300,000 is set to be extradited to the UK following her arrest in Tenerife.
Pamela Gwinnett, a deceitful fraudster, deceived 89-year-old Joan Green into believing she was her caretaker, isolating her from family members amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Exploiting Mrs. Green’s trust, Gwinnett coerced her into transferring Power of Attorney, granting control over her financial affairs.
Subsequently, Gwinnett misused the funds on Botox treatments, a luxury car, lavish meals, and mortgages for her properties, all while confining Mrs. Green in her residence in Chorley, Lancashire. Dubbed the ‘Black Widow’, Gwinnett also fabricated accusations against Mrs. Green’s relatives and restricted her freedom by changing locks and phone numbers.
Following Mrs. Green’s exploitation and subsequent demise in 2022, Gwinnett absconded to Tenerife in April 2025 during her pending trial for theft and fraud. Despite being denied permission to travel to scatter her brother’s ashes, Gwinnett flouted the court order and fled to the Canary Islands.
In October of the prior year, Gwinnett was convicted in absentia at Preston Crown Court and sentenced to six years in prison, coupled with a directive to reimburse £300,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Judge Michael Maher, presiding over the case, expressed disdain for Gwinnett’s disregard for the legal process and demanded her return to the UK to serve her sentence.
During her stay with Mrs. Green, carers witnessed Gwinnett mistreating the pensioner and neglecting her essential needs, with one physiotherapist describing Mrs. Green’s living conditions as akin to a captive animal. Gwinnett alienated Mrs. Green from her family, portraying them negatively and falsely asserting support from the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Despite efforts by Mrs. Green’s family to revoke Gwinnett’s Power of Attorney in March 2022, the defendant illicitly opened a joint bank account to maintain access to Mrs. Green’s finances, embezzling a total of £296,173.68 amassed by Mrs. Green and her late husband Stanley, a former senior manager at British Aerospace.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed Gwinnett’s arrest in Tenerife, with collaborative efforts between GMP, the National Crime Agency, and Spanish authorities to secure her extradition for incarceration in the UK. Investigator PC Georgia Loughton expressed satisfaction in Gwinnett’s impending return, highlighting her exploitation of a vulnerable individual for financial gain and the resultant harm inflicted on Mrs. Green and her family.
Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley commended the joint efforts in pursuing Gwinnett and emphasized the commitment to holding offenders accountable for exploiting vulnerable individuals within the community. The arrest of Gwinnett serves as a testament to the authorities’ dedication to ensuring justice prevails and providing solace to the victims affected by such crimes.