Rosie Grewal, 47 and of Greenhithe, jailed for fraud

Rosie Grewal, 43 and of Eleanor Walk, befriended a woman to deceitfully receive money off her and also pretended to be working on behalf of a housing company to take deposits from people for houses they never received.

Grewal appeared before Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, June 17 and was sentenced to 43 months in prison for five counts of fraud by false representation.

The court heard that in 2012, Grewal befriended a woman and her daughter and told them that she had a home she jointly owned with her aunt but that her aunt wanted to take her own name off the mortgage.

Grewal convinced the victim that she could buy into the property and they could both share the rental income.

The victim transferred a sum of money over to Grewal but despite numerous calls and text messages during the next six months, asking where her share of the rental income was, the victim never received any.

Grewal also persuaded the victim’s daughter to give her money to remortgage her flat in their joint names but the mortgage never materialised.

Since February 2012, Grewal received over £130,000 of the victim’s money and they have not received any of this sum back, despite numerous requests for it to be returned.

Grewal was arrested in September 2015 and officers went on to uncover she had taken numerous holidays abroad and purchased designer clothes.

While investigating this fraud allegation officers received numerous reports of other frauds from people claiming they had sent Grewal deposits for houses in Greenhithe in the belief she was acting on behalf of a housing company.

The amounts transferred to Grewal from these victims ranged from £800 and £3,000 for plots and mortgage fees but they never received any paperwork.

They later discovered that Grewal had nothing to do with the housing developer and the plots they thought they had purchased did not exist.

Grewal was then charged with five counts of fraud by false representation.

At an earlier trial, a jury found her guilty of three of the offences.

On June 17, she pleaded guilty to the other two offences and sentenced to a total of 43 months in prison.

Speaking on the shocking case, Investigating officer Detective Constable Madeline Brackley said: "The victims in this case trusted Grewal, they believed her lies and have been completely let down.

"They have all been left out of pocket while she went on holidays and bought expensive items.

"I hope the sentence gives them some sort of comfort knowing she is not able to put anyone else through this ordeal."