A WOMAN accused of conning a pensioner into handing over £156,000 of his money to set up businesses and to buy her home was cleared yesterday

Vivianne Windley burst into tears in the dock at the end of the week-long trial, as the jury at Teesside Crown Court acquitted her of all the four charges she faced.

Ms Windley had denied exploiting 68-year-old Percy Young's kind nature by persuading him to hand over money.

Mr Young claimed he gave her £45,000 to set up an escort agency, £41,000 to start a tarot card reading business and £70,000 to buy the house she was renting.

But Ms Windley, 44, of Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Newcastle, told the court the money was a gift.

Mr Young, a model railway enthusiast and stamp collector from Darlington, had accepted he had given Ms Windley £6,000 to buy a car.

The jury was directed by Judge Tony Briggs to reach not guilty verdicts on obtaining a money transfer by deception relating to £45,000 and £41,000 for the businesses. They reached a verdict of not guilty on two charges of obtaining a money transfer by deception relating to the £70,000.

Later, Mr Young, who met Ms Windley through an escort agency, would not comment.

Ms Windley said the experience had changed her life.