Hungerford con woman jailed

Fifty-six-year-old Lorraine Ellis, who lived in Hungerford and, latterly, in Kintbury, conned victims out of cash totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds.
On Friday, August 24, she was jailed for four years after admitting 11 offences involving more than £280,000 at Winchester Crown Court.
The offences, which took place between 2006 and 2009, included
• conning an elderly couple and their vulnerable daughter out of £24,000
• convincing a young woman whose father had recently died to hand over £21,000
• being given £1,900 from an elderly Hungerford man who had recently been widowed
• amassing thousands in credit card debts
• obtaining two mortgages for £105,000 and £156,000
• fraudulently obtaining goods
Det Con Keith Harford said after she was jailed: “Ellis is a confidence trickster and targeted elderly and vulnerable victims purporting to be in the wine business and conned them into handing over large amounts of cash to ‘invest’ in her business.”
In victim statements read to the court, one victim said: “I initially thought she had a heart of gold, but I now realise she is a cold heartless person who was out to steal money from me.
“I honestly believe that she should go to prison, in order to put a stop to her behaviour and to prevent other vulnerable people becoming victim of her criminality.”
Another said: “Ellis befriended me, she acted as though she was a close trusting friend. She totally fooled me into believing she was a nice genuine person. She has lied to me, and taken advantage of me all for her own personal gain.
“Lorraine Ellis has caused me a lot of worry and stress....she has affected me in the way that to a certain extent I do not trust people.”
Anyone wishing to report such an incident should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously.