A north-east man has revealed he was duped into handing over thousands of pounds to a woman who claimed they were in a relationship and would soon be moving in together.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday heard evidence from Victor Somers in the ongoing trial of Cheryl Mitchell, who is also accused of defrauding pensioners out of £60,000 over a three month period last year.
Mr Somers met Mitchell in Chicago Rock night club in the city in 2008 and entered into a relationship with her.
He lost his job in November the following year and was given a redundancy payment of around £7,000.
In the same month Mitchell asked him for money out of this to allow her to pay off bills so they could move in together in her home in Oldmeldrum.
Mr Somers made numerous payments in cash including sums of £700 and £250.
He later discovered her husband David Mitchell was living in the home with her.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend asked him: “Would you have made the payments if you had known her husband had been living in the house?”
Mr Somers replied: “No.”
He then broke up the relationship before being contacted by Mitchell again in 2013.
She suggested they move into her home in Inverurie together but said she needed a loan to pay off debts before this could happen.
Mr Somers visited the bank with her and took out a loan of £4,000, which was later transferred into her account.
He later got a key to the property and visited it when Mitchell was not there – where he discovered anniversary cards addressed to both her and her husband.
Mr Townsend again asked him if he would have taken out the loan if he had known about Mr Mitchell living with her.
He said he would not have.
Mitchell denies all the charges against her.
The trial, before Sheriff Alison Stirling, continues.
