Jailed Ann Burrows from Llandudno stole from neighbour
A woman who lost £27,000 to an African fraudster she fell in love with has been jailed for eight months for stealing £12,300 from a neighbour.
Ann Burrows, 59, from Llandudno, Conwy, admitted four frauds against the 72-year-old woman who is deaf, blind in one eye and had a brain tumour.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard she had a key to the neighbour's home and took out loans in her name.
Burrows sent the money abroad after herself becoming the victim of a scam.
The court heard she fell in love with a man named Gee, believing they were going to marry, but lost £27,000 to the African "lawyer".
She stole from her elderly neighbour over a 20-month period and transferred money from her bank account to Cameroon.
Judge Niclas Parry told Burrows her behaviour was "utterly despicable".
He added: "Any right-minded person will be sickened by what you did. You have been the victim of a scam yourself and left equally financially destitute."
The court heard Burrows, a widow who now lives in a caravan on Anglesey, believed she was going to marry the African and had met up with him in the UK.
Sgt Haydn Williams, of North Wales police, said: "Burrows befriended a woman and then went on to betray the trust instilled in her for financial gain.
"The sentence should send a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated by the police or the courts and we will thoroughly investigate all matters that are brought to our attention."