Grand-daughter stole cash from pensioners to pay for fence

A GRAND-DAUGHTER who ruined Christmas for three elderly women after she defrauded a holiday company by doctoring her bank statements, has been told she could face jail.

Elizabeth Elliott (30) of Lowfield Avenue, Greasbrough, admitted fraud by false representation at Rotherham Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Mr Mark Hughes, prosecuting, said the offence took place between December 5 and 13 last year when Elliott tried to persuade National Holidays that she had made a booking with them and paid for a holiday on behalf of others.

The victims were three elderly ladies who were friends of Elliott’s grandmother, Mr Hughes said.

The defendant agreed with the women - Pauline Timmins, Sheila Rusling and Sylvia Cawthorn - to take money from them and purchase a holiday so they could spend Christmas at a hotel in Scarborough.

The women handed over £239 each by way of a deposit and further instalments, said Mr Hughes.

But they began to get concerned when they did not receive any paperwork or receipt confirming their booking.

Elliott contacted the holiday company, who confirmed no booking had been made, said Mr Hughes, and then went about providing false statements to the firm which falsely showed she had paid for the holiday.

Mr Hughes said: “The police investigated the matter and the defendant provided some bank statements to the police which were different to bank statements provided to the holiday company.”

Elliott also gave permission for her bank to be contacted and true copies of her statements were provided.

“It would appear what the defendant has done is cut and pasted entries that gave the impression amounts had been withdrawn from her accounts,” said Mr Hughes.

The grand-daughter then spent the money she kept from the women on repairing her fence.

“It seems that she believed that she had made the booking but on discovery she had not secured the holiday she committed the fraud in an attempt to provide the holiday,” said the prosecutor.

Elliott had failed to attend court numerous times due to illness and being on holiday, Mr Hughes said, adding that it was “rather ironic as people here have lost their holidays as a result of the defendant’s actions”.

The court heard Elliott, who has convictions for theft and aggravated taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, had made arrangements through her solicitor to repay all of the women.

The District Judge for Rotherham, Mr John Foster, adjourned sentencing for a pre-sentence report, but warned Elliott that it was a serious matter and he could not rule out the possibility of a prison sentence.

She was bailed unconditionally to appear again on September 12.

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