A woman formerly of Greenfield Road, Adlington who was convicted of taking almost £296,000 from an elderly client has been returned to custody and given extra time behind bars after spending 16 months on the run.
Arrest and return to court
Sixty-three-year-old Pamela Gwinnett was arrested at Manchester Airport last week after a period abroad in Tenerife. The arrest followed her conviction in absence for fraud by abuse of position and theft at a trial earlier this year.
Details of the offending and court history
The charges arose from Gwinnett’s role as an unofficial carer for Mrs Joan Green. Prosecutors said she used bullying, coercion and threats to obtain control of funds, acquiring power of attorney and then diverting substantial sums.
"No evidence of the existence of a brother has ever been produced, much less that he had passed away."
The court heard she fled the country after an application to vary her bail — reportedly to scatter a brother’s ashes — was refused. The judge noted there had been no evidence of such a brother. Mrs Green died shortly before her 90th birthday in November 2022.
Sentencing and remarks from the bench
Gwinnett was originally sentenced in her absence to six years in prison last October after the trial at Preston Crown Court. When she appeared this week, wearing the same leopard-print jacket witnesses said she had on at the time of her arrest, she spoke only to confirm her identity. At the earlier sentencing the judge described her conduct in court as having "some brass neck."
- Victim: Joan Green (died Nov 2022)
- Amount taken: £296,000
- Conviction: Fraud by abuse of position and theft (convicted in absence)
- Initial sentence: Six years (October)
- Time on the run: 16 months in Tenerife
- Arrest: Manchester Airport (last week)
| Event | Date / Timing |
|---|---|
| Victim's death | Shortly before Nov 2022 |
| Conviction at trial | Earlier this year (trial last year, conviction in absence) |
| Initial sentencing | October (last year) |
| Time spent abroad | 16 months in Tenerife |
| Arrest | Last week at Manchester Airport |
Local impact and wider context
Cases of this kind often spark concern among families who rely on informal or private carers for vulnerable relatives. The court heard how Gwinnett changed contact details and removed people close to Mrs Green from her care network, tactics that prosecutors described as part of a sustained campaign to isolate and control the victim.
Anyone worried about the welfare of an elderly relative or suspecting financial abuse should raise concerns with local policing teams, social services or national reporting bodies. Allegations of coercive behaviour, unexplained changes to wills or powers of attorney, or sudden changes in a person’s financial situation can be warning signs.
Preston Crown Court heard the case; NHS or other local agencies were not reported as involved. The defendant’s appearance this week concluded with her being brought back before the court following the airport arrest.
