Lesbians who fleeced vulnerable pensioner out of £2,500 jailed

Police were alerted after the 87-year-old tried to withdraw further money from his savings telling the cashier “they are after my money, I need £100, they are waiting for me”.

After he gave descriptions, Jill Heppenstall and Sarah Gregson, who were then living together, were arrested nearby, Chloe Fairley, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

Inquiries revealed the victim had been regularly handing over amounts to the pair after he was told he owed money to a man called “Barry” and if he did not pay up the bailiffs would be sent in and he would lose his home.

He told officers he did not know anyone called Barry but when he told Heppenstall that she had become aggressive so he paid up. He had been introduced to her by his cleaner.

Heppenstall told police he had been paying her for sexual favours but admitted in court the £2,500 obtained was not for that.

Heppenstall, 41, of Nab Lane, Howden Clough, Batley, was jailed for 14 months and Gregson, 41, of Stocksbridge Avenue, Bentley, Doncaster, was jailed for eight months after both admitted fraud by false representation.

Sentencing them Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said he was not concerned with what had gone before of a sexual nature but what they had done between Christmas 2009 and May last year.

“You preyed on an 87-year-old man who was a vulnerable victim.”

That man had been intimidated by the threat of bailiffs coming into his house if he did not pay up “that must have been a terrifying prospect for him.”

The judge said he was satisfied Heppenstall, who had previous convictions, was the leader and dominant character in the enterprise but said Gregson was an adult who could have chosen not to be involved.

Sam Andrews, for Gregson, said she had been dominated by Heppenstall having never been in trouble before. She was now in a new relationship and felt remorse for what they had done.

Richard Canning, for Heppenstall, said she’d had a drug problem at the time of the offence and was now on methadone. The case was also now very different to the blackmail originally alleged.