A 27-YEAR-OLD woman who told “wicked lies” – including claiming that her mother had died – in order to defraud a vulnerable man out of almost £10,000 has been jailed for ten months.
Hannah Louise Hill lied and scammed the man over a six-month period in what Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae described as a “mean, manipulative, heartless and greedy” crime which had to be met with a prison sentence.
Her victim used up his savings and for two weeks fell behind with his rent, the Royal Court heard.
Crown Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said that Hill first made contact with the 36-year-old man, who has autism, via Instagram and asked him: “Want to be my sugar daddy?”
She offered to send him pictures and videos of herself in return for money.
“He sent her £200 but the defendant said she had never received it and he sent another £200,” Crown Advocate Taylor said. “But the money had been received into her bank account.”
She added: “The defendant told the victim that her mother was receiving medical treatment in the UK and she needed money to travel to visit her.”
Later Hill claimed that her mother had died of cancer and said she needed more money to attend her funeral in Scotland and pay for lawyers dealing with the sale of her mother’s house.
She said she would repay him once the house was sold, telling him: “Promise 100% you’ll get the money back.”
But Crown Advocate Taylor said: “Her mother was never unwell, was not receiving treatment in the UK and is not dead.”
Between March and September last year, the victim handed over a total of £9,353.
Crown Advocate Taylor said the victim’s sister became suspicious, and discovered on Facebook that Hill’s mother was alive. She then contacted the police.
Hill’s dishonesty represented a “betrayal of trust and emotional manipulation”, according to the prosecutor, who added: “She built up trust and almost immediately started to take advantage of him.
“The Crown cannot find any exceptional mitigation. A custodial sentence is the only appropriate sentence.”
She recommended 18 months’ imprisonment.
Advocate Mike Preston, defending, argued for a community service order instead.
He pointed out that Hill’s parents had lent her the money to pay the victim back in full, and if she remained out of prison she could earn the money to repay their loan.
And he said: “She is deeply ashamed and genuinely sorry for her actions. She cannot really understand why she behaved in this way.”
He also pointed out that she had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at her first appearance in the Magistrate’s Court and was considered at low risk of reconviction.
Mr MacRae told Hill that the Jurats were taking those factors into account, but said: “The victim was credulous and vulnerable. The Crown said this was a despicable crime. We agree.
“It was mean, manipulative, heartless and greedy.
“Only a custodial sentence can be justified.”
The Jurats sitting were Karen Le Cornu and Michael Berry.
