‘Black Widow’ who swindled £300k off pensioner lands in UK after fleeing to Tenerife

A fraudster who swindled a vulnerable pensioner out of nearly £300,000 has arrived at Manchester Airport following her arrest in Tenerife.

Pamela Gwinnett, nicknamed the ‘Black widow’, failed to turn up at court in October 2025. The 63-year-old was handed a six-year prison sentence for multiple offences, including fraud by abuse of position and theft, in her absence after fleeing the country.

She attempted to evade justice in Spain, however, the National Crime Agency and Spanish Police secured her extradition and arrest earlier this month.

As she walked from Terminal 3 Arrivals lounge to the rear of a police van, Gwinnett sported sunglasses, a leopard print jacket, capri trousers and gold trainers. She was accompanied by two armed National Crime Agency officers, reports the Manchester Evening News.

A grin as she emerged quickly transformed into a sombre expression once she clocked cameras trained on her. While being escorted out, she stayed silent as she was questioned whether she wished to apologise to her victim’s family, and if she was concerned that her sentence would be lengthened after absconding from the country.

As GMP officers read her rights, the convicted conwoman kept her back turned to the press before she was bundled into the police van and driven away into custody. The fraudster had positioned herself as the carer of retired accountant Joan Green, exploiting her to swindle her life savings during the Covid pandemic.

She then squandered her ill-gotten wealth on Botox and extravagant meals. Meanwhile, Mrs Green was kept like a captive animal at her residence in Chorley, Lancashire.

She manipulated the 89-year-old into granting her Lasting Power of Attorney before pilfering the money. A court heard how Gwinnett fabricated accusations against Ms Green’s family and isolated her by altering the locks and the landline phone number at her gated bungalow.

Carers who visited the property saw Gwinnett ‘barking’ at the elderly woman and neglecting her basic care needs. One physiotherapist stated Mrs Green lived like a caged animal.

She also ‘schemed to isolate Joan from her family and friends’.

When Mrs Green questioned why her family no longer came around, Gwinnett retorted they ‘weren’t good enough. ‘ She concocted false allegations against family members and claimed to have the backing of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

After spending her final years being ‘milked like a cash cow’ by Gwinnett, Mrs Green passed away in 2022. Gwinnett absconded from the country in April 2025 while awaiting trial for theft and fraud by abuse of position.

She had pleaded with a judge to alter her bail conditions, allowing her to journey to Tenerife to scatter her brother’s ashes. Despite the request being denied, she flouted the court order and five days later hopped on a plane to the Spanish Canary island.

Gwinnett was found guilty in her absence and in October of the previous year, she was handed a six-year prison sentence at Preston Crown Court. She was also instructed to repay £300,000 during a subsequent Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.

She is due to appear at Preston Crown Court on Friday (July 31).

Delivering the sentence, Judge Michael Maher stated he was fully aware she was in Tenerife and told her: “You have treated this process as you did Joan Green with utter contempt.”

He continued: “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.”

Following her arrest in Spain, the officer leading the investigation, PC Georgia Loughton, said: “I am pleased that Pamela Gwinnett will be returned to the UK where she will serve her sentence. Pamela knowingly defrauded a vulnerable woman out of almost £300,000, cutting off all contact with her family and controlling every aspect of her life.

“She was trusted by Joan, and she used this position of trust to her own financial gain. Joan was isolated from her family and denied from seeing her grandchildren and their children.

“Sadly, Joan passed away in 2022, however we hope that the return of Pamela to the UK to serve her sentence gives Joan’s family a sense of justice as they look to move on with their lives.”

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