A mum has been accused of posing as a police officer, council worker and saleswoman to gain the trust of more than 20 pensioners to scam them out of their cash.
Cheryl Mitchell allegedly defrauded a number of pensioners out of more than £57,000 between July and November last year.
In another of the 27 charges Mitchell faces, the Crown allege she used money obtained from another pensioner to pay for holidays to Abu Dhabi and Bulgaria.
Prosecutors also allege the 34-year-old, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, deliberately claimed more than £69,000 in benefits that she was not entitled to between September 2013 and February 2015.
Mrs Mitchell pleaded not guilty when she appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
It is alleged that at addresses in Baker Street, Aberdeen and Kingfisher Corner, Inverurie, between September 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, Mitchell managed to get a bank loan in the name of a
Victor Sommers which she later transferred to her own account.
She is also alleged to have used his bank card to pay for “goods and services”, as well as family holidays to Abu Dhabi and Bulgaria in 2013 and 2016, and using another bank loan to pay for a car.
Prosecutors allege that Mitchell also targeted Iris Gordon, 76, Irene Lofthus, 78, Allan Clark, 91, Hazel Henderson or McPherson, 88, John Beattie, 72, Marcus Baker, 75, Kate O’Hara, 84, Duncan
Skene, 83, William McGregor, 84, Roy Johnston, 94, John Davidson, 92, David Pattillo, 86, Phyllis Melrose or Stacey, 90, and Laurence Power, 69.
Meanwhile, it is also claimed Mitchell attempted to steal the bank details of Dorothy Ritchie, 78, Frances Fraser, 81, Olive Whyte or Robertson, 89, George Goldie, 90, Janet Rolland or Inglis, 102, Margaret Ironside, 89.
The Crown alleges that Mitchell posed as a police officer, a council employee and a utilities saleswoman to win the alleged victims’ trust and used the money to pay for clothes, car hire and airport parking, holiday accommodation, homeware and other services.
The alleged offences were committed at various addresses in Aberdeen.
Meanwhile Mitchell is also accused of lying about her circumstances when claiming income support, tax credits, housing benefit and job seekers allowance.
The alleged offences took place at addresses in Turriff, Kemnay and Dyce. She will go on trial next month.
