Serial conwoman jailed for three years

Fantasist Emma Charlton fleeced her mother, grandmother and fiance as well as luxury hotels and credit companies out of cash while claiming she was a high-flying businesswoman suffering from terminal cancer.

Newcastle Crown court heard the 25-year-old had been released from a two-year prison sentence for just a matter of months after conning five men out of 250,000 using a similar deception in 2007.

Charlton, who changed her name from Golightly when she came out of jail so she could commit further offences, has now admitted 23 theft and fraud charges between September 2008 and May 2009.

Prosecutor Carl Gumsley told the court after her release from jail in early 2008 Charlton quickly started to create a "false domestic and social existence".

This started by splashing out almost £400, on her mother's debit card, to pay for beauty treatment as the Nicola Adams Experience salon in Newcastle.

Mr Gumsley told the court: "She told Nicola Adams her father was a judge and that she had recently married a soldier in Greece.

"She said she was the manager of Marks and Spencers.

"She said she had cancer and was undergoing treatment, although it was terminal."

The court heard Charlton had actually found work at Marks and Spencer by keeping her criminal past a secret.

But she was sacked in a matter of months due to unauthorised absences.

By September 2008 she had met Neil Lupton and the pair quickly formed a relationship and moved in together.

The court heard she told Mr Lupton she had been adopted in Africa, was a successful photographer who had been published in Vogue and had offices in Newcastle, Leeds and London, and was terminally ill with cancer.

Mr Gumsley said Charlton kept up the pretense of being a "high-flyer" by parading around in designer wear and even carrying a miniature dog under her arm - Paris Hilton style.

Mr Gumsley told the court: "She gave the appearance of being wealthy and successful, down to the miniature toy dog she would carry around with her."

The court heard when Charlton and Mr Lupton, who had arranged a carer for Charlton because of her cancer, made plans to marry she booked an £80,000 event at the Slaley Hall Hotel in Northumberland.

She told staff she was the editor of Vogue magazine and wanted to book out every room in the Edwardian manor.

The £10,000 deposit, paid for by a cheque stolen from her grandmother, bounced, as did a £2,8000 cheque she paid to the Hilton Hotel for a charity fashion event which got cancelled on the day because she claimed the clothes for the show were in a van which had broken down on the motorway.

It was only after her arrest the true extent of her deception came to light, including taking a £8,000 loan out in Mr Lupton's name, using his credit cards to build up thousands of pounds of debt, and using his chequebooks to give him and her friends "gifts".

Charlton had used a total of 19 cheques belonging to her grandmother, totalling more than £126,000.

She had also used nine cheques belonging to Mr Lupton, totalling almost £30,000, as well as taking out loans and credit cards in his name.

Mr Gumsley told the court: "Unsurprisingly, Mr Lupton originally refused to believe the allegations being made against his fiance, but he was soon to discover the truth of the matter.

"Mr Lupton has suffered significantly both emotionally and financially and by way of inconvenience.

"It is fair to say, and right to say, he had been thoroughly and totally conned in this enterprise."

The court heard during Charlton's deception many of the cheques, stolen from Mr Lupton and her grandmother, were not honoured.

But the total loss, to be met by Mr Lupton, and various financial institutions, is almost £40,000.

Mr Gumsley said: "It is not entirely clear what all the money was spent on, some receipts were available and statements on credit cards who spending in Fenwicks, Monsoon, Currys and foreign currency."

Charlton told police in interview she "never set out to hurt anybody".

Michael Hodson, defending, said Charlton suffers from a personality disorder.

Mr Hodson said: "She was trying to compensate for her low self esteem, her 'useless life', by creating a fantasy world."

The court heard Charlton's mother and grandmother are standing by her.

Judge Guy Whitburn jailed Charlton for three years and branded her "wicked".

The judge said: "What you did was to create a false world at other people's expense and it was at very considerable expense both financially and, for Mr Lupton in particular, emotionally.

"You deceived him in a way which is difficult to comprehend.

"It was a cruel thing you did to him and he lost very considerably, not only emotionally, but financially as a result of this false world you were creating."