Key facts
- Pamela Gwinnett, 63, has been arrested in Tenerife.
- She was convicted of stealing £300,000 from an 89-year-old pensioner.
- Gwinnett fled to Tenerife while on bail awaiting trial.
- She was sentenced in her absence to six years in jail.
- Spanish authorities have detained her pending extradition to the UK.
Pamela Gwinnett, 63, has been arrested in Tenerife and faces extradition to the UK to serve a six-year prison sentence for stealing £300,000 from an 89-year-old pensioner. Gwinnett, who had been on bail, fled to the Spanish island in April 2025 while awaiting trial for her crimes against Joan Green, from Chorley, Lancashire.
Preston Crown Court heard that Gwinnett, who became Mrs Green's carer, plundered the vulnerable woman's life savings by controlling her finances and isolating her from her family. She then spent thousands of pounds on cosmetic procedures, expensive meals, and a £22,500 car. Last October, Gwinnett was convicted and sentenced in her absence for theft and fraud by abuse of position.
Greater Manchester Police announced Gwinnett's arrest following assistance from the National Crime Agency and Spanish authorities. Spanish police released footage of a handcuffed Gwinnett being led away by officers. The Audiencia Nacional, Spain's high court, ordered her imprisonment without bail while extradition proceedings are underway.
Sky News had previously tracked Gwinnett to Tenerife, where she denied stealing from Mrs Green, who died in November 2022. During the trial, a video secretly filmed by Mrs Green's step-grandson, David Bolton, was played, showing Gwinnett asserting her power of attorney over Mrs Green and arguing with family members. The judge described Gwinnett's actions as having 'self-assured shamelessness' and stated that Mrs Green was 'simply a cash cow to be milked until she was dry'.