A man and woman are to stand trial on charges alleging they defrauded an elderly victim, the female defendant’s own late grandmother, of more than £368,000.

Simon Fletcher and Linzi Ann Foster are jointly accused of fraud by false representation and acquiring criminal property, relating to £368,888 they are said to have obtained from Eva Foster, between 2015 and 2020.

Linzi Ann Foster is also accused of a further charge of fraud, relating to the use of three of her grandmother’s bank and debit cards to withdraw cash or make purchases for her own use, amounting to a further £18,202, between 2015 and 2021.

Appearing at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court today (Tuesday, March 19) 39-year-old Linzi Ann Foster denied all three charges she faces, while her 43-year-old co-accused denied both fraud charges of which he is jointly accused.

The Northern Echo:

The court was told all parties were aware of the death of the complainant in the case, Eva Foster, who was in her 80s.

Ian West, for the prosecution, therefore, asked that her police witness statement can be given as hearsay evidence at trial, an application which was not opposed by defence counsel in the case.

The hearing was adjourned for a trial of up to a week duration, to start at the court on Monday January 27, next year.

The Northern Echo:

A timetable was set which includes the submission of the prosecution evidence, by April 30, and detailed defence statements by the defendants, by May 28.

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Both must return to court for a pre-trial hearing to ensure the case is trial-ready, on January 10.

Judge Nathan Adams told the defendants that having denied these matters the next step is to set it down for trial.

He bailed both Linzi Ann Foster, of Tenth Street, Blackhall, and Fletcher, of Cottingham Close, Peterlee, to return for both the January 10 pre-trial hearing and then the trial itself, later that month.