A woman, Pamela Gwinnett, 63, has been sentenced to six years and two months in prison for stealing nearly £300,000 from 89-year-old Joan Green in Lancashire. Gwinnett, who pretended to be Green’s friend and carer during the Covid-19 pandemic, used the money for Botox treatments, a car, lavish meals, and property mortgages. The victim sadly passed away in 2022.
Gwinnett fled to Tenerife in April 2025 to avoid trial but was extradited back to the UK last week. She had taken advantage of Green by convincing her to transfer Power of Attorney, isolating her from family members, and controlling her finances. Despite the family revoking Gwinnett’s Power of Attorney in March 2022, she managed to retain access to Green’s funds through a joint bank account.
The fraudulent acts were discovered after Gwinnett had stolen a total of £296,173.68, which Green and her late husband, a retired senior manager at British Aerospace, had saved. Greater Manchester Police, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency and Spanish authorities, arrested Gwinnett in Tenerife and facilitated her return to the UK for prosecution.
PC Georgia Loughton, the investigating officer, expressed satisfaction in Gwinnett’s return to face justice, emphasizing how she exploited Green’s vulnerability for personal gain, leading to the victim’s isolation from her family. Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley underscored the police’s dedication to pursuing criminals who exploit vulnerable individuals within communities, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions.