Woman who conned £200k from uncle, 84, jailed

Pamela Urvoy "concocted a web of lies" to defraud her uncle, who did not live to see her jailed, police said

A woman who conned her 84-year-old uncle out of more than £200,000 so she could buy a house has been jailed for four years.

Pamela Urvoy was supposed to be caring for the victim but used his money to buy a house in Blackburn and put it solely in her name, even though she told him his name would also be on the deeds.

He died in March 2024 so did not live to see Urvoy found guilty of two counts of fraud by false representation at Preston Crown Court.

Urvoy, 55, had "concocted a web of lies to defraud her elderly and sick uncle out of his life savings", Lancashire Police said.

In 2008, the victim suffered a serious stroke, leaving him unable to live an independent life, the court was told.

Following discussions with other members of the family, it was decided the victim would move into Urvoy's home which was in Padiham, police said.

In 2013, a new property was purchased in Garsden Avenue in Blackburn for £230,000 and the victim believed the pair had shared ownership of the home.

In August 2018, the victim was temporarily placed into a care home and after some confusion about who was overseeing his finances, social services launched an investigation.

It found that in October 2013 a sum of £203,502.17 was transferred from the victim's bank account and then to the solicitors for the purchase, with a payment reference of "Mrs Pamela".

The court also heard that the victim was sleeping "in a cellar basement room and was ill-cared for, which caused serious concerns to social services", police said.

'Playing the doting niece'

The financial investigation showed that the victim's bank account was overdrawn past the overdraft limit every month, despite about £550 being paid in every month.

Checks with Land Registry showed that the property in Garsden Avenue was solely in Urvoy's name and the conveyancing firm showed Urvoy was the sole purchaser.

She initially claimed that the majority of the money for the purchase – £203,000 - had come from an inheritance, but when she was asked for proof of that, Urvoy later claimed her uncle had gifted her the money.

Det Con Jo Billington said the victim had "put his faith in a person he should have been able to trust".

"Under the rouse of playing the doting and caring niece, Urvoy concocted a web of lies to defraud her elderly and sick uncle out of his life savings.

"Having worked to ensure his later years in life would be comfortable financially, it must have come as a great shock to find out that all of his money had gone and the person responsible for doing that was a family member," she said.

Urvoy, of Garsden Avenue, Blackburn, was charged with two counts of fraud by false representation.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will take place at a later date when the exact amount Urvoy benefitted from her fraud will be determined.

Any assets she has will be seized so she does not benefit financially from her criminality.