A woman who defrauded an elderly victim out of thousands of pounds has been jailed following an investigation by Kent Police.
Amanda Farr redirected money the victim had transferred to pay for the costs of running her own home in Whitstable, into her own bank account.
Farr accessed and siphoned funds away from the woman’s bank account, on occasion transferring up to £1,800. She then used the funds in thousands of transactions to fund her lifestyle, between December 2017 and September 2019.
Large debts
The victim, who was in her 90s at the time of some of the offending, accrued large debts with energy and water companies, some of which rose to above £3,000. This resulted in the involvement of debt collection agencies and applications for recovery warrants.
The matter was reported to police in late 2019. An investigation found Farr had been intercepting mail sent to the victim by her bank and energy provider, along with redirecting her telecommunications to her own mobile number.
An electronic device owned by Farr was also found to have a calendar showing the dates on which the victim’s pension was paid into her account.
Arrested
Farr, formerly of Croydon, south London, was arrested and later charged with fraud. She pleaded not guilty and was convicted in February 2023, following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.
On Friday 5 May, the 48-year-old was jailed for 18 months with confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 being initiated at the same time.
Stewart Ross-Cumming, a financial investigator for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘The sentencing of Amanda Farr is a testament to the hard work of law enforcement and outside agencies in relentlessly pursuing and disrupting those who exploit vulnerable members of the public.
‘Farr’s offending was simply callous and calculated with no consideration for the impact this was having on her victim. Nobody should think they can avoid justice when exploiting members of the public.
‘Kent Police was determined that justice was sought and the sentence now handed down reflects the impact of this offending.’
For more advice on protecting yourself and others from fraud, visit: Advice about fraud | Kent Police