Woman jailed for blackmail and threats to elderly man

A woman has been jailed for blackmailing and threatening a vulnerable elderly man.

Donna Green, 55, of Cinnamon Close, Walton Cardiff, Tewkesbury, demanded the victim, aged in his 70s, pay for her bills, food, shopping and phone contracts, and threatened him with violence if did he did not do it.

Green made the man run errands for her at all times of the day and night between March and October 2023. In total the victim transferred £5,576 to her.

She pleaded guilty to blackmail and malicious communications and was jailed for 16 months at Gloucester Crown Court.

Suspicions were raised when one of the victim's support workers noticed there were large amounts of money going out of his bank every month and that he was in debt and at risk of losing his tenancy as he was not paying rent or bills.

When asked about it, he said that he was giving his friend about £800 a month and if he stopped she told him she would stop visiting him.

Green was arrested on 12 October 2023 and released on bail so that her mobile phone could be analysed.

It showed several threatening messages sent by Green, as well as demands for money.

She was interviewed again in September 2024 and subsequently charged.

Green said that she and the victim were close friends and that she was using his money to help support him with errands and bills.

As well as being jailed, Green was given a seven-year restraining order preventing her from contacting the victim.

Investigating officer PC Bundock said: "Green took advantage of the man and regularly used threats of violence or the end of their friendship to get what she wanted.

"I hope this conviction and sentencing shows how seriously we treat crimes of this type."

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