Kenilworth pensioner targeted in “mean” card con

The 89-year-old was tricked into revealing her pin details over the phone, before offender, Kelly Marie Gleeson came to her home to collect her card - going on to steal £600 from the account.

Gleeson, 31, of Dunsmore Avenue, Coventry, was jailed for five years after appearing before Warwick Crown Court on charges of targeting vulnerable pensioners as old as 95.

The mother was described as heartless when she appeared before the judge after scamming tens of thousands of pounds in the sophisticated bank card con.

Gleeson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, six charges of fraud and three of receiving stolen bank cards.

The court heard how elderly residents were contacted by a caller claiming to be from the bank and reporting suspicious activity on their account.

The caller - usually a man - asked for pin details on the pretext of checking it against the card supposedly used.

He would suggest the pensioner take the card to their branch, or helpfully offer to send out a specialist courier to collect the card in person.

The defendant would then pose as the bank courier and collect the cards in person.

Prosecutor John Hallissey said: “She is a prolific long-term fraudster who targets the elderly and vulnerable and takes advantage of their naivety to help herself to large sums of money.”

The thefts ran into tens of thousands of pounds and of cash and jewellery.

Richard Gibbs, defending, said: “She wants it to be known clearly that not only is she disgusted by her offending and its prolific nature, but she wants to apologise to all her victims.”

He said that Gleeson, who has a young daughter, was ‘a relatively weak character who is easily-led and terribly easily influenced’ but she accepted she acted of her own free will.

Jailing her, Recorder Stephen Evans said: “The victims were elderly. They were specifically targeted because they were vulnerable; they were, as you saw them, soft targets.

“In my judgement this was a sophisticated operation committed with others across the country and involved the use of a disguise by you.

“If it ever occurred to you that your victims might be frightened by the offences, that they might be of limited means, that they might spend the rest of their lives mistrustful of others, it did not deter you; you simple didn’t care.

“These offences were mean, committed without conscience, and your offending was persistent, ruthless and determined.”