'Black Widow' fraudster who conned 89-year-old woman out of £300,000 before fleeing to Tenerife is arrested as she touches down in Manchester

By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:47, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 01:47, 31 July 2026 A 'black widow' fraudster who conned an elderly woman out of £300,000 before she fled to Tenerife was placed in handcuffs as she returned to the UK to face justice. Pamela Gwinnett, 63, fled to the Spanish island in April 2025 while she was on bail awaiting trial for her crimes against 89-year-old Joan Green, from Chorley, Lancashire.   Preston Crown Court heard last October that the vulnerable pensioner's life savings were plundered by Gwinnett after she became her carer and took over her finances while isolating her from her family. Gwinnett was convicted and sentenced in her absence to six years in jail for theft and fraud by abuse of position. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) worked alongside Spanish authorities to locate Gwinnett and extradite her to the UK. She was pictured being arrested by officers moments after landing at Manchester Airport on Thursday. Earlier this year, a TV crew from Sky News confronted Gwinnett outside her picturesque seaside apartment on the Canary Island. She denied stealing from the pensioner, who died in November 2022, and told the channel: 'I don't need to answer these questions. Did I heck take the money.' 'Black widow' fraudster Pamela Gwinnett, 63, who conned an elderly woman out of £300,000 before she fled to Tenerife was arrested as she returned to the UK Gwinnett, who was arrested at Manchester Airport, was convicted and sentenced in her absence to six years in prison for theft and fraud by abuse of position Gwinnett is said to have used Mrs Green's cash to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including a car worth £22,500 and enjoyed expensive beauty and Botox treatments Pictured: Pensioner Joan Green who was conned out of £300,000 by Gwinnett. Preston Crown Court heard the vulnerable Mrs Green's life savings were plundered by Gwinnett after she became her carer Gwinnett flew to Tenerife just hours after a court refused her application to vary her bail conditions to allow her to purportedly scatter her brother's ashes on the island. Judge Michael Maher sentenced her as if she was present in the courtroom last year. He said: 'To you, Joan Green was simply a cash cow to be milked until she was dry. 'And so having inveigled your way into their lives behind the charade that you were a benevolent friend to Joan, you set about playing the long game to isolate and control a vulnerable woman and thereby enrich yourself. 'There was in my judgment a self-assured shamelessness to your fraudulent activity – to use the colloquialism, you have some brass neck Ms Gwinnett.' As part of her scam, Gwinnett made a series of false claims against Mrs Green's step-daughter and step-grandchild, including theft and neglect before she gained power of attorney. Gwinnett used Mrs Green's cash to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including a car worth £22,500 and enjoyed expensive beauty and Botox treatments. Judge Maher said previously: 'I sincerely hope that Ms Gwinnett is extradited back to the UK to serve this sentence for these egregious offences. 'It is an affront to justice and the rule of law for this defendant to be allowed to remain in Tenerife.' Gwinnett will now appear at Preston Crown Court on Friday morning in relation to her failing to appear at court previously. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.