Gail Ashford, of Herne Street, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of obtaining property by deception at Nottingham Crown Court in February.

She challenged her sentence at London's Court of Appeal on Thursday as 'manifestly excessive' and asked the two judges to reduce it.

They were told Ashford had not been given enough credit for her guilty plea, that the starting point used when setting the jail term was too high and that the sentencing judge had not taken into account all the mitigation in the case.

But Mr Justice Goldring, sitting with Judge John Saunders, said Ashford could have no complaint with the sentence, observing she had not pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had 'cleaned out' her vulnerable victim.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was told he had made Ashford pregnant and had to pay for baby equipment and hand over other sums otherwise he would be taken to court.
As a result of the scam he lost £26,000.