Three Years For Family Fraudster Who Sold Her Dad And Step-Mum's Home

A property fraudster has been jailed for selling her father and step-mother's vacant £340,000 flat.

Valerie Edwards, 52, of Lawson Close, Ilford, received three years imprisonment.

She pleaded guilty to fraud on the opening day of her Snaresbrook Crown Court trial.

In Spring last year Edwards concocted the audacious plan once she discovered the property in Woolaston Road, Finsbury Park would be vacant for a few months.

Her step-mother had travelled to the Caribbean to look after a sick relative, and placed her husband – Edwards's father - into a care home while she was away.

In May Edwards instructed an estate agent and arranged for the flat to be offered directly to potential buyers, looking for a flat in the area.

She insisted the property should not be advertised for sale publicly.

A buyer was found and a sale price of £340,000 agreed.

The estate agent referred Edwards to a solicitor to provide the conveyance on the purchase.

The solicitor refused to facilitate the sale without permission from the owners.

Edwards explained that the owners were in hospital and unable to attend his offices.

She then provided the solicitor with numerous forms of identification, including a Power Of Attorney and a signed letter stating that she had permission to sell the flat.

On Thursday, June 8 a neighbour noticed people removing the contents of the flat.

When approached, the removal men explained that the flat had been sold and the new owner was having it cleared.

The neighbour contacted the true owners and informed them of the activity at the flat, also giving them the details of the person who had unwittingly bought their property.

The victim contacted the solicitor who had dealt with the sale explaining that Edwards did not have any right to sell the property.

The solicitor called Action Fraud and contacted the bank involved in the transfer of funds.

The bank was able to freeze £337,000 of the £340,000 selling price.

The flat has since been returned to its rightful owners.

Detective Constable Neil Wakeling, of the East Area Command Unit, said: “Edwards knew that the property her father and step-mother lived in was going to be vacant for a period of time, and was unscrupulous in exploiting the situation by gaining access and attempting to force through its sale.

“Only at the last minute when the sale of the property was about to be finalised, and when a neighbour flagged their concerns and acted quickly was the fraud discovered.

“The custodial sentence handed down reflects the seriousness of the offence.”