Carmen Hinson of Leicester jailed for tricking elderly victims out of cash

A woman has been jailed today for tricking elderly and vulnerable people into giving her cash handouts.

Carmen Janey Hinson (64), of Hebden Close, Eyres Monsell, Leicester, was sentenced to 27 months at Leicester Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that over a six year period, from June 2006 to November 2012, Hinson befriended four elderly victims and convinced them to hand over £6,000 in cash and bank transfers.

One victim alone gave her in excess of £4,000.

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The four victims, three of whom are aged over 80, lived in Wigston and Eyres Monsell, and in Honiton in Devon, where Hinson had been spending time with a friend.

Police have released an image of Hinson in the hope that other victims will come forward.

Detective Constable Tracey Horne, the investigating officer, said: “Hinson manipulated her victims so that they felt obliged to give her money. She pleaded with them to help her, claiming that she needed the money for bills and food, that she had been the victim of robbery and in some cases claimed she was unwell. The reality is that Hinson has a gambling habit and used the money she gained to fund it.

“Hinson’s victims are all kind, caring and vulnerable and none of them wanted to believe that they were responsible for Hinson going without. Hinson was forceful and intimidating and hopefully today’s result will mean the victims will be able to put this chapter behind them.

“Not only do I hope that the sentence passed today will be a warning to other fraudsters, but I also hope that it will show members of the public, and victims, how serious we take crimes like this. I also hope that it encourages other victims to come forward. Hinson went out of her way to trick her victims into handing over their money, and I believe there is every possibility that she has done it to someone else.

“If you recognise Hinson from the picture and she has approached you for cash before, even if it was just a small amount, please call us.

“We want to get justice for all of Hinson’s victims, help us to do that by reporting crimes to us.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Det Con Horne on 101, follow the instructions to leave a message for a police officer and when prompted key in the officer's identification number 4039. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.