Mansfield woman who swindled £1,300 from would-be tenant was ‘desperate’ to vanish

Maria Kendall advertised the three-bed house on Abbott Road on Facebook Marketplace and told a potential tenant her name was "Abbie Clipstone," said Ben Payne, prosecuting

She charged £650 for the first month's rent along with a £650 deposit and told the tenant he would be able to move in on July 1.

He had "no reason to disbelieve her" when she told him at least six other people were interested and he would need to pay the deposit in cash.

He transferred the first month's rent to an account in Kendall’s real name and was told he could collect the keys on June 24, but she didn't turn up.

When he tried to move in a week later the neighbours told him another woman had been there with a similar story and Kendall had left with all her property earlier that day.

The court heard her victim had applied for a new driving licence which had been delivered to the Abbot Road address and this affected his job as an HGV driver.

“He lost £1,300 and has nowhere to live,” said Mr Payne. “He is shocked and angry at the outcome.”

Ian Pridham, mitigating, said Kendall, who has no previous convictions, was “mortified” by the impact the fraud had on her victim.

He said she was seriously assaulted by an ex-partner and Kendall was “literally terrified” because his associates would regularly congregate near her address.

“She was desperate to move address but was unable to find somewhere to go,” Mr Pridham said.

“In desperation she came up with this plan to get some money and vanish.

“For her it was just a temporary fix to get her out. It was a relief when she was finally able to tell the police what she had done. Her identity was always known. She was never getting away with it.”

Kendall, aged 45, formerly of Abbot Street, Mansfield, admitted fraud by false representation when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The case was adjourned until May 29 so the probation can provide a pre-sentence report.