Niece swindled aunt and uncle out of £150k life savings to splash out on 5* hotel stays and swish designer clothes
SICK SCHEME Niece swindled aunt and uncle out of £150k life savings to splash out on 5* hotel stays and swish designer clothes
A NIECE swindled her elderly aunt and uncle out of their £150,000 life savings to fund her lavish lifestyle.
Lucy Paginton funded luxury holidays and trips to five star hotels using money she had pilfered from relatives Frank Hillier, 88, and Mary, 90.
4
Lucy Paginton, 28, targeted her uncle Jack Hillier, 88, and aunt Mary, 90
Credit: WNS
4
The mum-of-one spent time at the five-star Celtic Manor resort in Newport
Credit: Getty
The 28-year-old, of Newport, South Wales, was raised by the couple "like a daughter" since the age of two.
Cardiff Crown Court heard they spoiled her throughout her life, forking out on holidays, buying her gifts and leasing cars on her behalf.
Pensioner Mrs Hillier told how both her and her husband had become "unwell" dealing with the stress and upset after the shocking betrayal.
The mum-of-one spent time at the five-star Celtic Manor resort in Newport and funded trips to high-end designer store Flannels.
Read more News
LOVE OR MONEY Secret lovechild WINS bid to keep half of millionaire toymaker dad's fortune
In 2017, Paginton asked her aunt and uncle for their help to buy a house.
But rather than using the money to put down a deposit, she kept the money they had given her.
To continue her deception, Paginton then forged several documents including correspondence from Halifax bank and Redrow house builders.
Prosecutor Thomas Stanway told the court: "A plan was agreed that they would pay the deposits for two properties.
"Paginton would live in one house and her aunt and uncle in the other.
"The property the Hilliers lived in would then pass over to her after they had died.
"When one considers Miss Paginton's bank statements one can see that in effect the payments were simply made to fund her lifestyle.
"There were visits to the Celtic Manor Resort, payments to Flannels, a high-end designer clothing shop.
My disabled mum said she was in love with US soldier but she'd actually given conman £169k - she's one of 1,000s of Brits being targeted
"There were also payments to various travel companies noted within her bank statements."
In a victim impact statement, Mrs Hillier told how the betrayal had hurt more because the couple had showed Paginton "so much love".
She said: "It hurts because she lied to us and we showed her so much love, gave her holidays, money and she never went without.
"We were willing to buy her a house but she decided to steal from us instead.
"It's affected my mental health and my husband's physical and mental health.
"Every night going to bed I find it difficult to sleep and we're constantly worried about the case.
"The stress of it all has made us unwell."
The court heard she had gained £150,555 from her fraud.
4
Following a ruling at Cardiff Crown Court, Paginton was ordered to pay just £1 because she had no available assets
Credit: Getty
But at a Proceeds of Crime hearing, Paginton was ordered to pay just £1 because she had no available assets.
Mrs Hillier explained that the couple made sure their niece didn't get away with her crimes, but insisted they still loved her.
She added: "We have lost everything we have worked hard for and family have distanced themselves from us.
"We couldn't let her get away with this and can't believe she did this.
"We still love the defendant but she hurt us and broke our trust.
"We hope to get justice from this case and make Lucy realise the consequences of her actions.
She was jailed for four years and eight months in January after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud at Newport Crown Court.
During her sentencing, Judge Carl Harrison said: "Your victims thought highly of you, they trusted you and they loved you.
"It was that love and trust that led them to falling victim to your repeated dishonest behaviour.
"For four years you cynically and repeatedly abused the trust that Frank and Mary Hillier placed in you to enrich yourself and defraud them.
"They described it as being a living hell. They are an elderly couple who should be looking forward to their future.
"Their lives have been ruined by your selfish actions."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Shock moment British OAP, 85, holidaymaker is mugged and shoved to the ground as he was on walk with wife in Majorca
It follows a string of snatch and grab attacks on Brits in Spain SICK ATTACK Shock moment British OAP, 85, holidaymaker is mugged and shoved to the ground as he was on walk with wife in Majorca THIS is the shocking moment an elderly Brit is mugged and violently thrown to the ground as he walks through Majorca with his wife. The 85-year-old man was pounced on by the young attacker who stole his bag and wallet before fleeing the popular tourist destination. Advertisement 5 The shocking moment an elderly Brit is mugged and violently thrown to the ground as he walks through Majorca Credit: Solarpix 5 The mugger grabbed the man's arm and tossed him onto the pavement Credit: Solarpix 5 The OAP was left on the ground as his attacker fled Credit: Solarpix Footage shows the thug target the OAP and his wife as he follows them down a sunny street in Cala Millor, the largest tourist destination on Majorca's east coast. As the mugger approaches he appears to try and overtake the couple before snatching at the man's belongings which were in his hand. The Brit holds on bravely to the small bag with his valuables inside as the attacker grabs hold of his wrist. Moments later, the fragile OAP is thrown onto the hard pavement as his body smashes off the concrete. Advertisement His terrified partner rushes over as the man lays still on the ground after hitting his head. The mugger managed to quickly scurry away with the man's bag. The robbery happened just after midday on Wednesday in the tourist hotspot which sits a short drive away from the Love Island villa. Local police have since been able to identify the suspect with him being arrested just hours later in a nearby street. Advertisement The victim was called into the station and able to recognise him as the person who had assaulted him. It is not immediately clear what injuries the pensioner suffered or if he had been able to recover what was stolen from him. Watch moment Brit has £43k watch snatched off wrist by e-scooter bandits while sitting in traffic in £250k Lamborghini The mugger has already gone before an investigating judge but his fate is currently unknown. His age and nationality is also yet to be released. Advertisement Just weeks earlier, another Brit had his possessions swiped by e-scooter bandits in Spain. Lamborghini driver Scott Mariella was stuck in heavy Barcelona traffic when he had his £43,000 watch stolen by thieves. Scott and his partner Simone were sat in a lime green £250,000 Aventador when two crooks took advantage of the standstill traffic to whizz past the row of pricey motors and pick an unsuspecting target. Footage shows how one of the thieves went up to the Lambo Aventador and appeared to ask to take a picture of the car. Advertisement As he leaned in to get the snap he started to speak to Scott before gesturing for what looked like a high-five. Seconds later, the man grabbed at Scott's arm and managed to remove his watch in one quick movement. He then hopped on the back of his accomplices scooter who was waiting on the other side of the road just feet away. The pair sped away as a desperate Scott tried to chase after them in his supercar only to find himself boxed in due to the traffic. Advertisement It follows a growing concern over street crime in Barcelona. At the start of May, footage captured the moment a thief was wrestled to the ground and placed into a suffocating chokehold by a tourist after he tried to nick his camera. The suspected robber picked the wrong target - as the brave photographer managed to floor the man and submit him with ease. Last August, British sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie was robbed at knifepoint for his £17,000 Rolex in Barcelona. Advertisement Ainslie, 47, recalled the horrifying ordeal as a gang mugged him as he went out for a meal. 5 As the mugger approaches he appears to try and overtake the couple before snatching at the man's belongings Credit: Solarpix
South Wales Argus
13 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Look who's just been jailed from Newport and Caerphilly
We look at their cases. (Image: Jackson Walker) A TEENAGER drug dealer was caught red-handed with dozens of wraps of heroin inside a sock during a police raid at his grandparents' home. Jackson Walker, 18, from Newport threw the package out of a window just before he was arrested earlier this year. There were 34 wraps of heroin inside the sock in total with an estimated street value of £1,360, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Walker was sent to a young offender institution for 21 months. (Image: Kieran O'Connor) A sex offender has been jailed for hiding his mobile phone from the police after installing dating apps on it. Convicted paedophile Kieran O'Connor, 23, has persistently breached a sexual harm prevention order imposed in September 2020 after he contacted an 11-year-old girl. He was locked up for 20 months in December 2023 after sending sexual messages to underage girls on Facebook. O'Connor's latest offences took when his flatmate tipped off the police, prosecutor Hannah Friedman told Newport Crown Court. He was jailed for 10 months. (Image: Robert Mellon) A paedophile asked a '14-year-old schoolgirl' to send him naked pictures of herself in the bath after contacting her online. Serial sex offender Robert Mellon thought he was speaking to an underage child called Ella. But he was in fact chatting to paedophile hunters Dank Dragon carrying out a sting operation. The 57-year-old from Newport has been in and out of prison for more than two decades after committing a string of crimes. His was locked up for 32 months. (Image: Sinead Sandell) A hairdresser punched a woman in the head before stealing her mobile phone. Sinead Sandell, aged 37, attacked Sade Hughes as she walked along the street on Francis Drive in the Pill area of Newport. The defendant was charged with robbery but her guilty pleas to theft and assault were accepted by the prosecution. Sandell, of Stow Hill, Newport has 36 previous convictions for 94 offences on her criminal record. She was jailed for 34 weeks. (Image: Liam Murphy) Liam Murphy, 33, from Caerphilly, was jailed for supplying cocaine and amphetamine. He was locked up for two years and nine months. (Image: Lewis Harvey) A teen branded a 'high risk to the public' has been locked up after he caused serious injury to another man by careless driving. Lewis Harvey, 19, pleaded guilty to committing the offence against victim Declan Nisbeck-Jefferies on Elm Drive in Risca on Thursday, March 20. He also admitted failing to stop after a road accident, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving with no insurance. Newport Magistrates' Court heard the 'offence was committed whilst he was subject to a community order and the defendant poses a high risk to the public'. Harvey, of Newport Road, Cwmcarn, Caerphilly also pleaded guilty to being in breach of a restraining order on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 and Sunday April 6. The defendant was sent to a young offender institution for 42 weeks and disqualified from driving for 26 months.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
'Caution needed' as HMRC sends letters to four million taxpayers
'Caution needed' as HMRC sends letters to four million taxpayers A financial expert has issued a warning as people are due to receive correspondence from HMRC Scammers use the opportunity to target people who are expecting a genuine letter (Image: coldsnowstorm via Getty Images ) HMRC is issuing P800 tax calculation letters to four million Brits who may have overpaid income tax, including PAYE employees and pensioners who may have been taxed incorrectly. But as these refund letters land on doormats, scammers are seizing the opportunity to pose as HMRC, tricking unsuspecting people into clicking phishing links or handing over personal information. That's according to experts at Ocean Finance, who have carried out new research involving 1,500 UK adults. The firm said that it found one in three (38%) had either been scammed or know someone who has. One in five (20%) said they worried about fraudsters posing as trusted organisations like banks, energy firms, or government departments. It also found that the risk was growing - 20% of Brits admitted they'd click on a suspicious link, making them easy targets for phishing scams. According to Action Fraud, in the year to July 9 alone, 367,456 reports of cybercrime and fraud were made in the UK, with £2.8bn lost to scammers. Siobhan Blagbrough, financial crime manager at Ocean Finance, said: 'Scammers know tax refund letters are landing this summer, which gives them the perfect cover. People waiting for a rebate are much more likely to believe a text or email asking them to 'claim now'. 'But HMRC will never call, text, or email you unexpectedly about a refund. If you're owed money, you'll either get a cheque in the post or be asked to claim it through your online tax account at Article continues below 'Overpayments can happen for a few different reasons. You might have been on the wrong tax code - this often happens if HMRC has outdated information about your income. It's also common if you've changed jobs and were paid by two employers in the same month. Some people find they've overpaid after starting to receive a workplace or private pension, or if they've received benefits like Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance. 'If you weren't expecting a message - don't click, don't reply, and don't share your details. Fraudsters often use pressure tactics, spoofed numbers, and fake websites to trick people. If something feels off, trust your gut and report it using HMRC's phishing scam form. A few seconds of caution could save you thousands.' What to do if you've been scammed Contact your bank or card provider: Siobhan said: 'Your bank can block your card, investigate, and potentially refund your money. The quicker you act, the better.' Request a chargeback: Siobhan said: 'If you paid via debit card, chargeback could help you recover your money. This process allows you to dispute an unauthorised transaction and request a refund.' Report the scam: Siobhan said: 'Contact Action Fraud to help authorities track down criminals and prevent future scams.' Update your passwords: Siobhan said: 'If scammers got hold of your login details, change your passwords immediately. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Over half of Brits (53%) use the same password across multiple accounts*, leaving them wide open to hackers.' Article continues below Aaron Peake, personal finance expert at credit score service CredAbility, added: 'A scam won't directly hit your credit score, but the financial damage might. Missed repayments or loans taken out in your name can leave marks on your credit file and make it harder to get a mortgage, loan, or credit card in the future. Set up spending alerts and use services like CredAbility and TotallyMoney to monitor your credit for anything suspicious.'
