A woman left her grandad penniless after inventing a legal battle with B&Q and billing him for her supposed solicitors fees.
Olivia Crutchley stole nearly £75,000 from the man she described as her "best friend", cruelly conning him over the course of more than 18 months in order to fund her drug addiction. The 23-year-old bombarded the pensioner with a slew of fake emails purporting to be from lawyers and the Citizens Advice Bureau as she apparently attempted to sue her former employer, despite having never actually worked for the DIY giant.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Monday, that she is the eldest granddaughter of 79-year-old Roy Crutchley and that they had a "strong bond" after she had spent periods living with him growing up. Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, described how their relationship did break down at one stage when Crutchley was accused of stealing £10 from his wife's purse, after which she went back to staying with her mum.
