JAIL HO!
All-girl crime gang nicknamed the Pussy Cat Molls jailed for card credit racket targeting Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’
THREE sisters who ran an all-girl crime gang nicknamed ‘The Pussy Cat Molls’ have been jailed.
Lyndsey, Emmiline and Leanne Burdon were caught having spent more than £62,000 using card details from stolen till receipts in the North West, Yorkshire and Leicestershire.
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The “brazen” siblings targeted Cheshire's wealthy Golden Triangle, making 150 fraudulent transactions in restaurants and shops, Chester Crown Court heard.
The Sun Online understands the gang was dubbed the Pussy Cat Molls by someone in the police.
Leanne - who also goes by Sarah - 40, and younger siblings Lynsey, 36, and 29-year old Emmiline, from Manchester, all admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
Judge Steven Everett said they had shown "a lot of front".
The court heard the sisters and their friend Sonia Malhi, 37, had stolen till receipts and then used the details to spend other people's money.
Hotels, spas, shops and restaurants across Knutsford and Alderley Edge, Cheshire were targeted by the women to get free meals, beauty treatments and designer clothing.
The girl gang would provide the stolen card details when asked for payment, claiming their cards were damaged.
They also grabbed other items including power tools, high-performance car parts, motorcycles and motorcycle accessories.
While the women kept some of the items they bought fraudulently, on other occasions they would return to the stores and request a refund.
They would then put their own payment card into the machine so that the money would go into their own personal bank accounts, netting them more than £16,000 worth of fraudulent refunds.
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The court heard some stores targeted by the sisters lost more money than they made in a week.
In one shocking case, an employee almost lost their job because they failed to spot the fraudulent transaction.
In a statement Phill Sergeant of Millennium Motorcycles in St Helen’s said: ‘’Some time after this occurred we were made aware of the scam and I was suspended for a week by my manager. My mental health dropped and I became depressed.
'’At a disciplinary hearing I was told I could keep my job but was placed on warning and given a probation period. This was because the fraudsters did not care about the consequences of their actions. I nearly lost my job.’’
The girl gang were arrested in May after a team of 50 police officers raided their homes in North Manchester and seized an Audi car, motorcycle clothing, two electric scooters, designer watches and clothing, furniture and a quantity of cash.
Prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel said the fraud "occurred on a regular basis and continued despite [lockdown] restrictions”.
Mihangel added the fraudsters had targeted off licences and garages during lockdown and bought alcohol, cigarettes and hundreds of National Lottery tickets.
Mihangel said: ‘’Occasionally they would book hotel rooms and then go to reception saying a family emergency had forced them to cancel. They would then present a different card and enter the amount into their own accounts.”
In mitigation Lynsey Burdon’s lawyer Christopher Hunt said: ‘’There have been a number of issues in her life which seem to stem from her low self-worth and more personal reasons.
This has led her into relationships where she has been on the receiving end of abuse from numerous partners.
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She has also abused cocaine and desperation was involved in her offending and it was inevitable she would be caught."
For mother of one Emmiline's defence lawyer Lloyd Morgan said: ‘’She was not living a lavish lifestyle and it appears some of the money was being transferred to other people.''
For mother of two carer Leanne, Rachel Faux said: ‘’’Her financial gain was limited and she did not benefit directly from all the money that cane into her account.
Her offending was a result of the personal anguish she was going through.’’
But sentencing Judge Steven Everett said: ‘’This was a sophisticated, carefully planned and carefully operated enterprise.”
He went on: “You were all being pretty brazen about what you did and it required a lot of gall to do this.
You should have had more empathy for your victims such as the worker in the tyre shop who nearly lost his job. It must have been galling for him to have been tricked by you.
None of you gave them any thought and all you ever thought about were your selfish desires to get money.
You should be hanging your head in shame. Many of your victims worked in small shops and could not afford to lose money. "
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The Judge continued: "They may not have lost thousands of pounds but each one felt betrayed, deceived and upset.
It is important the public understand if you dupe small shopkeepers you will go to prison. ''
At Chester Crown Court, the three sisters and their friend all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, with Lyndsey, Emmiline and Malhi admitting further charges of theft.
Emmiline also admitted driving while disqualified and possession of counterfeit money.
Mahli additionally pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of an offensive weapon.
Leanne, of Blackley who was charged under her full name Sarah Leanne Burdon was jailed for 18 weeks.
Lynsey of Crumpsall was jailed for two years, two months.
Emmiline of Blackley was jailed for 22 months.
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Sonia Malhi of Audenshaw will be sentenced at a later date.
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Judge Everett said it was "quite obvious you had disadvantaged childhoods", but added they "can't live off that for the rest of your lives."
The women will face a Proceeds of Crime hearing later.
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