Fraudster scammed more than £700k over 13 years claiming she was bed-bound and needed care
A FRAUDSTER scammed more than £700,000 over 13 years claiming that she was bed-bound and needed care.
Frances Noble, 66, fooled social workers in what a trial judge said was “possibly the largest fraud of its type to come before English courts”.
She was helped in her crime by her daughter Laura Borrell, 44, and son-in-law Philip, 46. She gave the couple £185,000.
Con woman Laura even appeared on ITV’s This Morning five years ago and lied to presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that she herself was one of the youngest ever to be diagnosed with dementia.
Her mum, Frances, pretended she had a neurological condition and was unable to feed herself, needing constant care from 2005 until she was caught out in 2018.
Neighbours said they saw her walking her dog at night. When one saw her standing in her garden, Noble pulled up her hoodie and claimed to be “carer” Borrell.
Hertfordshire County Council then watched the house and no carers were ever seen entering.
Noble was paid benefits directly to give her a sense of autonomy at her home in Weston, Herts.
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She hired her daughter and son-in-law to be her carers, but both went on lavish trips to San Francisco, Boston and Orlando while they were meant to be looking after her.
Prosecutor Andrew Johnson said: “They treated it not as a payment for vital services but as personal income with which they could all do as they pleased.”
The Borrells, of no fixed address, admitted fraud and money laundering at St Albans crown court.
Granting them bail, Judge Richard Foster said they must prepare for prison.
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Noble, who has since moved to Berlin and was not in court, had also pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering.
She was jailed for almost five years and a warrant for her arrest in Germany will follow.
