Blackmailer took £23,000 from friend by sending fake threats

A woman in north-east England was jailed after blackmailing a longtime friend out of more than £23,000 by pretending to be violent men sending threats.

A woman in north-east England has been jailed after blackmailing a longtime friend out of more than £23,000 by pretending to be violent men sending threats. According to the court account, the fraud lasted for about nine months and relied on fear, manipulation and the abuse of a close friendship. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

The victim had previously helped the woman financially when she was unwell and unable to work. Later, she began receiving threatening messages from someone she believed to be a dangerous man demanding that money be sent to the woman’s bank account or her home would be attacked. When one number was blocked, another appeared, claiming to belong to an even more violent associate. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Prosecutors said the victim made 87 transfers ranging from £50 to £1,000, often several times a week. The threats reportedly included images of crossbows and grenades, and later warnings that a car could be driven into her home if she did not keep paying. The court eventually heard that the sender behind both false identities was in fact the same woman she had known as a friend for years. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

By the end of the scheme, the victim had transferred £23,466 and was left with only 16 pence in her bank account. In her statement, she said she had felt trapped, controlled and too ashamed to tell anyone what was happening. The judge described the case as a gross abuse of friendship with devastating consequences and sentenced the defendant to three years and four months in prison. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}