A fraudster has been jailed for
four-and-a-half years after she conned her fiance and his brother out of almost
£150,000 while claiming to be suffering from cancer, Mirror.co.uk reports.
four-and-a-half years after she conned her fiance and his brother out of almost
£150,000 while claiming to be suffering from cancer, Mirror.co.uk reports.
Shameless Lynsey Mitchell, aged
31, spent the cash on hiring limousines, staying in posh hotels and taking her
pals to concerts.
31, spent the cash on hiring limousines, staying in posh hotels and taking her
pals to concerts.
She also contacted estate agents
with a view to buying a house.
with a view to buying a house.
Her devastated fiance Richard
Fortune was so distressed by Mitchell’s deception, he suffered a heart attack
and is in hospital awaiting a transplant.
Fortune was so distressed by Mitchell’s deception, he suffered a heart attack
and is in hospital awaiting a transplant.
His brother Derek Fortune became
suspicious his bank account was being emptied in May last year.
suspicious his bank account was being emptied in May last year.
He made inquiries which revealed
his £90,000 savings had vanished. He was left £2,495 overdrawn on his current
account and had only eight pence in his savings account.
his £90,000 savings had vanished. He was left £2,495 overdrawn on his current
account and had only eight pence in his savings account.
In a victim impact statement Derek
told the court: “This money I will never be able to replace and was the
savings of my life’s work.
told the court: “This money I will never be able to replace and was the
savings of my life’s work.
“I am on the point of losing
my job where I have worked for 20 years because I have had to take so much time
off to visit my brother.
my job where I have worked for 20 years because I have had to take so much time
off to visit my brother.
“I fear that if I lose him
through ill health I will not have anything worth living for. This seems to be
a living nightmare which just gets worse. There is nothing left.
through ill health I will not have anything worth living for. This seems to be
a living nightmare which just gets worse. There is nothing left.
“Despite what happens to her
today these debts will stay with us, and I can’t see any light at the end of
the tunnel.”
today these debts will stay with us, and I can’t see any light at the end of
the tunnel.”
Swindon crown court heard how
Mitchell drained the bank accounts of fiance Richard and brother Derek without
them knowing.
Mitchell drained the bank accounts of fiance Richard and brother Derek without
them knowing.
She stole the brothers bank cards,
emptied their savings accounts and secured an £11,995 loan against fiance
Richard’s family home.
emptied their savings accounts and secured an £11,995 loan against fiance
Richard’s family home.
When the pair questioned
suspicious activity on their accounts, Mitchell fled the country claiming she
had to care for her terminally ill father in the Czech Republic.
suspicious activity on their accounts, Mitchell fled the country claiming she
had to care for her terminally ill father in the Czech Republic.
By then Mitchell had fleeced her
fiance out of £41,000 and his brother Derek out of £108,000.
fiance out of £41,000 and his brother Derek out of £108,000.
She justified her extravagant
spending by telling the pair she had a series of serious illnesses, including
cancer and liver disease.
spending by telling the pair she had a series of serious illnesses, including
cancer and liver disease.
Prosecutor Claire Marlow told the
court: “Derek and Richard Fortune live together in what was their parents’
house.
court: “Derek and Richard Fortune live together in what was their parents’
house.
“They have a frugal
lifestyle, and are unsophisticated in the ways of the world.
lifestyle, and are unsophisticated in the ways of the world.
“They have not embraced the
technological age and until they met this lady were inexperienced in
relationships.
technological age and until they met this lady were inexperienced in
relationships.
“She would tell them she was
suffering from life-threatening illnesses including liver disease and cancer
and at times was receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
suffering from life-threatening illnesses including liver disease and cancer
and at times was receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“Enquiries revealed the money
was being used on limousines and staying in a number of hotels as well as
taking friends to concerts and at one stage she was in contact with an estate
agent about buying a house.”
was being used on limousines and staying in a number of hotels as well as
taking friends to concerts and at one stage she was in contact with an estate
agent about buying a house.”
Mitchell, from Swindon, Wilts, was
jailed on Friday after she admitted 15 fraud charges and one of theft between
2008 and 2012.
jailed on Friday after she admitted 15 fraud charges and one of theft between
2008 and 2012.
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