A heartless fraudster used a widower's bank card after knocking on his door and claiming to be a "distant relative" of his dead wife.
Katie Shone was with two men when she knocked on the vulnerable man's door and claimed to know his wife, who had passed away on Boxing Day merely weeks earlier. The 35-year-old and the two men were then invited into the widower's home, but he later asked them to leave.
But when the 69-year-old victim later checked his bank statement, he saw that his bank card had been used to buy over £60 worth of items from a local garage. CCTV later identified Shone as the culprit.
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Shone, of Imeary Street, South Shields, appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court where she pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.
The court heard that the 69-year-old victim's wife had passed away on December 26 last year, and weeks later on January 14 this year, Shone knocked on his door.
Gurjot Kaur, prosecuting, said: "He received a knock at his door and was met by the defendant and two males. She introduced herself as a distant relative of his deceased wife. He invited them inside believing they were there to pay their respects to his wife.
"When they were asked to leave they did. He later checked his bank statement and his card was used by another person at a garage in South Shields. CCTV showed the defendant using that card and four transactions were carried out, totalling £64."
In a victim statement, the widower said he feels Shone had "taken advantage of my grief" and that the offence was "unforgivable". The court heard Shone had 21 previous convictions for 48 offences and was on a community order at the time of the fraud.
Due to the seriousness of the crime, magistrates transferred the case to Newcastle Crown Court, where Shone will be sentenced on Tuesday, June 13. She was granted unconditional bail until her next appearance.
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