£80,000 Shropshire fraud victim disgusted by order to pay back just £10

Christopher Dunning said he was "disgusted" to find out Susan Weston had been ordered to pay back £10 at a hearing.

The Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court was told Weston has no income or assets to pay back the money she stole, having spent all the money she duped out of her victim.

The 64-year-old, who was jailed for more than four years in April, has been told she will be freed from prison in May next year.

Mr Dunning, 76, from Market Drayton, said he was very angry at the news.

He said: "I thought she got off lightly in the first place, but £10.

"It's absolutely ridiculous and I'm very disappointed, £10 is a paltry amount. She stole thousands of pounds.

"I feel this will not be a deterrent to others – she got away with it."

Weston, of Barton's Lane, Market Drayton, who conned a total of £83,436 out of Mr Dunning, was told she has three months to pay the £10.

The hearing was also told that her sentence, of four years and two months, is likely to only lead to her spending 13 months behind bars.

Weston targeted the pensioner over a nine-year period, and then even asked him to get the charges dropped when it became clear she was facing court.

Alongside the theft charges Weston also pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming thousands of pounds of disability living allowance payments, as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Weston had also faced theft charges relating to another Market Drayton pensioner, but he died before the case went to court, with the judge ordering that the charges lie on her file.

Following her sentence police also said she could have taken as much as £170,000 from her victim, but that they could only trace bank records back for 10 years.

Mr Dunning said he had no idea that Weston was draining his bank account for herself.

The first time he was made aware of the situation was when police went to visit him, following up an anonymous caller who was concerned about the situation.

The victim revealed he had even paid more than £220 for Weston's dog to be cremated.

Cheque book stubs showed that more than 300 cheques had been written for cash, regular Chinese meals, beauty products, utility bills for Weston's home, car insurances, and a trip to Spain.

After Weston admitted the charges earlier this year, Mr Dunning said: "More than 15 years ago I moved into my bungalow with my late brother Nicholas.

"He was disabled and I wanted to look after him at home – we are twins. As we moved in I met my then neighbour Susan Weston.

"She was very keen to help and because she was so friendly we welcomed her in and soon I trusted her explicitly. For many years she would visit us, do the shopping for me and deliver a meal. I always paid.

"She would invite me over on a Tuesday and then go to my house to pick up my post etc. Often I would come back and things were in a different place but I thought no more of it.

"Such was my trust in that woman that when she suggested it I allowed her third party access to my bank account. Soon after she took control over my personal affairs too.

"When my brother passed away in 2001 I hardly ever saw anyone but her. Sometimes she bought me clothes. I never asked but was grateful and I always paid whatever she asked for. They were never new clothes – probably from a charity shop – but I thought that was all I could afford."

In the wake of Weston's jail sentence detectives appealed for information about anyone else who may have fallen victim to her schemes.

Detective Sergeant Samantha Hammond said: "There may be other elderly and lonely men who have had some contact with Weston. We would urge them to speak with us."

The court heard Weston had spent the money. It is possible for a further court order demanding payment if Weston is found to have the means to pay.