Black Widow Fraudster Ordered to Sell Home After Fleeing to Tenerife
A fraudster nicknamed 'the Black Widow', who fled to Tenerife after stealing more than £300,000 from an elderly pensioner, has been ordered by a court to sell her home to repay the stolen money. Pamela Gwinnett, 62, was convicted in her absence for isolating 89-year-old retired accountant Joan Green from her family and exploiting her as a carer to cheat her out of her wealth.
Systematic Exploitation of Vulnerable Pensioner
Gwinnett's crimes began shortly after Mrs Green's husband Stanley died, when she persuaded the frail pensioner to appoint her as a Lasting Power of Attorney. She then abused this position to systematically plunder Mrs Green's finances. The fraudster used the stolen funds to purchase luxury items including an Audi Q2 car, expensive meals, beauty treatments, and Botox injections.
Meanwhile, she kept Mrs Green like a caged animal at her home in Chorley, Lancashire, by changing the locks and landline phone number at her gated bungalow. Gwinnett also made false accusations against Mrs Green's family, leading to investigations by social services and further isolating the elderly woman from her relatives.
Flight to Tenerife and Conviction in Absence
Following Mrs Green's death in November 2022, Gwinnett was charged with theft and fraud but absconded to Tenerife against court orders. Despite remaining on the Spanish island and refusing to return for her trial, she was convicted in her absence at Preston Crown Court. Judge Michael Maher previously sentenced her to six years in prison, condemning her for treating the legal process with contempt in the same way she had treated her victim.
The judge noted that Gwinnett had identified Mrs Green as a wealthy woman who had worked hard with her husband, a British Aerospace manager, to build their assets through shrewd investments. But to you Mrs Gwinnett, Joan Green was nothing more than a cash cow to be milked until she was dry, Judge Maher stated during sentencing.
Confiscation Order and Family Impact
Judge Maher has now issued a confiscation order for £350,180.79, which Gwinnett must pay within three months. The order specifically targets her home in Adlington, Lancashire, which will need to be sold to satisfy the debt. If she fails to comply, she faces an additional 42 months in prison.
This is a rare case where I am able to make a full confiscation order for the funds which were stolen, Judge Maher remarked. Unusually the available amount exceeds the proposed confiscation figure. Against that background I have made a compensation order to the estate of Joan Green.
The fraud has had devastating consequences for Mrs Green's family. In a victim personal statement, step-daughter Katherine Farrimond, 65, explained that Gwinnett's actions meant Mrs Green and her husband's bodies remained in unmarked graves for years due to probate delays. Pamela has been the reason for this as she has been uncooperative in the probate process, she said. We are still trying to get access to the money and property from Joan's estate.
Mrs Farrimond added that Gwinnett's lies led Mrs Green to believe her family hated her and didn't want us to see her, preventing proper goodbyes. Gwinnett's barrister Abigail Holmes indicated her client intends to appeal the fraud and theft convictions, though she remains in Tenerife where she has earned the 'Black Widow' nickname due to her reported interest in wealthy retirees.
