POLICE are still to trace a couple approaching three months since their conviction for defrauding a vulnerable man, who has since died

Emma Jayne Durkin, 30, and 40-year-old Adam Lee Waugh are due to be sentenced for fraud at Durham Crown Court, but they have been at large since August.

They were accused of draining £16,000 of the complainant’s money, either withdrawn from his account or by using his bank card, over four months last year.

Durkin was said to have to have run errands, including shopping and done some cleaning for the man, who was unaware of the amount of money which had disappeared from his account.

She maintained everything she did and spent was for the man’s benefit.

The couple, of Collingwood Street, Coundon, both initially denied conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

Durkin also denied a separate charge of theft of £100 from the same complainant.

But she subsequently changed her pleas and admitted both counts, on the day of trial, on August 4, to the fraud count.

She was to have been sentenced at the outcome of co-accused Waugh’s case.

His trial went ahead, but he was convicted by the jury in his absence, after he failed to turn up at court, on August 9.

Judge James Adkin issued bench warrants for the arrest of both, as neither was present at court.

He called the case back to court for the second time to check on the progress of the police search for the couple.

Ian West, for the Crown, said they were initially thought to have gone to the Northumbria force area, while in early October there was said to have been a sighting of them in the Coundon area.

Mr West said Waugh has even twice rung the police twice saying he would hand himself in, only to fail to do so.

Police believe they still claiming benefits but using an address where they are not living.

Judge Adkin said they were not, “international criminal masterminds” capable of flying away from the UK on a private jet at short notice.

Urging police to continue to search for the couple, the judge added: “Three months is just too long, I appreciate they are not particularly dangerous but it’s a slight irritation that they are still out and about.”

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