Fraudster Pamela Gwinnett accused of £300,000 abuse: UK pensioner ‘silenced’ then cash spent in Tenerife
A “shameless” fraudster convicted of exploiting a vulnerable pensioner has been traced living in Tenerife, Sky News reports, despite being sentenced in her absence and breaching bail conditions.
Pamela Gwinnett, 63, was found guilty of theft and fraud by abuse of position after isolating 89-year-old Joan Green during the COVID-19 period, when many families were unable to check on relatives easily.
The court heard that Gwinnett positioned herself as Joan’s helper and carer, gaining trust while gradually restricting contact between the retired accountant and her family.
At the centre of the case was a legal arrangement: Gwinnett convinced Joan to sign over a power of attorney, effectively giving her control of Joan’s finances.
Once she had that control, prosecutors said she raided Joan’s savings, ultimately spending around £300,000 on what the judge described as a long-running scheme rather than a short-term lapse in judgment.
Fraud exploitation and “power of attorney” control over Joan Green
Gwinnett’s alleged method relied on influence at a moment when Joan, who relied on support, was most vulnerable to manipulation.
During the pandemic, she was kept apart from relatives and encouraged to believe that her family had abandoned her.
Joan’s family say the isolation was deliberate, describing a pattern of interference designed to stop them raising concerns.
They claim Gwinnett changed Joan’s landline number and even took steps such as padlocking gates and instructing carers not to let family members in.
It also emerged that Gwinnett used the legal authority she obtained to manage Joan’s money as if it were her own.
Prosecutors said Joan’s life savings were systematically diverted, with the spending later described in court and in reporting.
According to reporting, Gwinnett spent heavily on cosmetic treatments including Botox, while also funding a lifestyle of high-end meals and luxury purchases.
Her spending reportedly included a £22,500 car, as well as payments relating to mortgages for properties she owned.
Judge Michael Maher, sentencing her in her absence, said she “played the long game,” using the authority she had to treat Joan like a source of funds rather than a person needing care.
He described Joan as being held at arm’s length, with her trust used to enable abuse for an extended period.
Gwinnett was sentenced last October to six years in prison, though she was not present to face the punishment.
The court later ordered a confiscation measure, with a further development described as a major financial hit.
Her story, however, did not end in the courtroom. Instead, it continued in Spain, where she was reported living in Tenerife while still under bail restrictions.
Life in Tenerife after sentence and bail breach
Sky News says Gwinnett has been living in a seaside apartment in the south of Tenerife for about 11 months.
The reporting claims she fled the UK while awaiting trial, and did so in breach of bail conditions that applied to her at the time.
When confronted outside her home, Gwinnett told reporters she was not in the UK because she had an appeal underway.
She also denied stealing money, suggesting instead that someone else within Joan’s family had taken it.
Asked about the alleged theft of savings, Gwinnett claimed: “No, never.”
She added that her critics had “made [her] a scapegoat,” arguing that she had power of attorney and that other parties possessed bank access or related resources.
For Joan’s family, those denials are especially painful because the scheme did not merely drain money—it reportedly injured relationships and left Joan emotionally distressed.
Joan died in 2022, and relatives say the greatest fear was that she would pass away believing she was unloved and abandoned.
Her step-grandson David Bolton described watching the situation unfold and said his anger was compounded by the contrast between Gwinnett’s life abroad and the harm done back home.
He said her lifestyle in Tenerife appeared indifferent to the pain she caused during and after the fraud.
Residents in her apartment complex, according to Sky News, have also reacted publicly.
Posters have been put up calling for “justice for Joan Green” and showing Gwinnett with “wanted” messaging.
Hidden video evidence and claims of “self-assured” fraud
Court findings included evidence filmed secretly by David, capturing a confrontational moment between him and Gwinnett.
In the recording, Gwinnett repeatedly asserted that she had power of attorney and challenged the family’s right to intervene.
The exchange, as described in reporting, showed Gwinnett accusing David of criminal behaviour and “grooming” his grandmother.
Joan could be heard asking what was happening, as David tried to comfort her.
Judge Maher said the footage highlighted Gwinnett’s confidence and shamelessness, using language that underscored how the judge viewed her demeanour.
He also called out the impact of the deception on both Joan and her family, portraying it as a calculated abuse of authority.
Alongside the sentence, the judge reportedly urged action to extradite Gwinnett so she could face the full process of accountability.
UK authorities, the reporting says, have been attempting to secure her return from Spain.
Growing complaints over how authorities handled earlier warnings
Joan’s family believe they raised concerns with the police earlier, but that those warnings were not treated with urgency until later.
They claim the first force to receive information took the view that it was a civil dispute rather than criminal fraud.
Later, when similar evidence was presented to a different police force, Gwinnett was arrested and the case escalated.
According to reporting, Lancashire Police concluded at first that it should be handled as a civil matter, while Greater Manchester Police moved forward with a criminal investigation when the same pattern was brought forward again.
The reporting says Gwinnett was arrested for fraudulently obtaining a new passport after it was known she was breaching bail conditions.
Authorities also described attempts to hold her in custody, although those efforts were complicated by her lack of prior convictions at the time.
In recent developments, a confiscation order reportedly required Gwinnett to pay a large sum within a short window, with further imprisonment possible if she fails to comply.
Her family says they believe this case is not the first time she has exploited a vulnerable person.
While Gwinnett continues to contest elements of the story, Joan Green’s relatives insist the evidence showed a pattern of control, isolation, and financial harm.
For them, it is not just about money—it is about trust stolen from a family, and a victim left to suffer both financially and emotionally before her death.