**Woman Jailed for Swindling Elderly Couple Out of £150,000 Ordered to Repay Just £1**
A woman from Newport who defrauded an elderly couple out of £150,000 by forging documents and concocting a web of lies has now been ordered to pay back only £1, after it was revealed she squandered the entire sum on luxury hotels, travel, and designer clothing.
Lucy Paginton, aged 28, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, where it was laid bare just how extravagant her spending had been. Despite having benefited from a significant windfall gained through deception, Paginton had nothing left to show for her ill-gotten gains. The court was told she no longer held any assets, leaving the judge with little option but to impose the symbolic order.
Paginton’s victims, Jack and Mary Hillier, aged 88 and 90, regarded her as family. She had been in their lives since she was a toddler, and the couple said they ‘thought the world of her’. Their trust, however, was ultimately betrayed when Paginton began to exploit their confidence for her own financial gain starting from 2017.
According to prosecutor Thomas Stanway, Paginton’s scheme centred around convincing the couple they were investing in property. She claimed to be purchasing homes for herself and her partner, as well as for the Hilliers themselves. The plan involved the couple selling their own home, moving into a new property, and ultimately bequeathing the house to Paginton when they passed away.
In order to lend credibility to her story, Paginton meticulously crafted fake official documents. These included counterfeit bank statements purportedly from Halifax and forged letters from housebuilder Redrow, which suggested that a plot had been secured. She even created fraudulent correspondence from the HM Courts and Tribunal Service and solicitors, all designed to allay any doubts the Hilliers may have had, and to persuade them that compensation or legal fees needed to be paid in connection with the fictional property deals and civil claims.
Matters began to unravel when the promised house sales never materialised. In an attempt to maintain the charade, Paginton went so far as to present the couple with more forged paperwork. She falsely claimed Mr Hillier was owed compensation and convinced him he needed to pay £12,000 in legal fees—a payment that, for the couple’s sake, never came to fruition.
Altogether, the Hilliers lost £150,000, with Paginton attempting to extract even more before her deception was uncovered. Following a police investigation, which revealed the extent of the financial loss and the elaborate nature of the ruse, Paginton maintained initially that the money she received was a series of ‘gifts’ and denied ever forging documents. However, a deep dive into her bank activity told another story: The sizable sums the Hilliers had entrusted to her were rapidly spent on five-star hotel stays, high-end clothing from retailers such as Flannels, and extensive travel.
Paginton ultimately pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud by false representation. The court sentenced her to a total of four years and eight months in prison. She was visibly distressed as she was taken away to begin her sentence.
Although the court concluded that Paginton had gained £150,555 from her criminal conduct, her current lack of recoverable assets meant the victims will see little financial redress. Judge Simon Mills imposed the nominal compensation of £1, payable within 28 days.
This case has shone a harsh spotlight on the trust placed in family and close friends, and how such trust can be exploited for devastating personal and financial impact. It also demonstrates the limitations the justice system faces in compensating victims when offenders have already spent their ill-gotten gains.