Two conniving women who milked an older man out of thousands of pounds have walked free.
Amy Paton and Nikki Pilkington tricked the victim, who lives in Blyth, Northumberland, into handing over his savings with lies about how he would be at risk from drug dealers if he failed to do so. A court heard they fleeced him of £10,000 over a five-month period and spent it on their drug habits.
Paton, 31, of no fixed address, could be heard saying she was "f****** buzzing" after a judge said she had served enough time on remand and would be released while Pilkington, 34, of no fixed address, avoided jail altogether.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard they were originally charged with blackmail but prosecutors accepted their guilty pleas to fraud. Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said: "They pleaded guilty to fraud on the basis they made fraudulent claims to the complainant about the situation they were in regarding their drug habits and drug debts.
"The defendants were responsible for a £10,000 loss to the complainant. They told him that because of their drug problems, drug dealers would be coming to the house and he would be targeted to get the debt repaid.
"He felt obliged to pay them money, which was effectively funding their habits. It happened over a five-month period."
Recorder Ben Nolan KC said: "It's milking the complainant of funds from his account."
Referring to a victim impact statement, Mr Pallister said: "He described how he would say their actions have ruined the later years of his life and have affected him mentally and physically. He no longer feels at ease at home or in the local environment and he was in the process of moving home to secure sheltered housing."
After hearing that Recorder Nolan considered she was "time-served", having done seven months on remand, Paton said "yes" and "f****** buzzing" on the video-link from prison. She was sentenced to 14 months, meaning she will be released.
Although Pilkington has been on bail, the judge said it would be unjust to lock her up as he was passing a sentence which meant her co-accused would be released. She was given 14 months suspended for 12 months with rehabilitation.
