A TRICKSTER who befriended a vulnerable man to steal his money is behind bars today after a judge told her: “The public would be outraged if if you walked out.”

Victoria Woolston, 25, sobbed as she was locked up for fleecing her 56-year-old victim out of £50,000 over two years.

She was told by a judge that her crime was “wicked” and she had tried to con the court and medical experts into thinking she was unfit to stand trial.

Two psychiatrists found that she was not fit to plead, but when a psychologist interviewed her, it became clear she had not been trying her best to answer questions.

In the end, she admitted six charges of theft between February 2014 and March 2016, and was jailed for two years and five months.

At Teesside Crown Court, Judge Sean Morris told Woolston: “What you did was to deliberately befriend a gentleman older than yourself, who had considerable difficulties, and over a period of time you fleeced him out of £50,000. That money has gone.

“When this came to the attention of his brother, who had Power of Attorney over his affairs, he asked for some money back and you refused, and since then you have been leading this court and various psychiatrists a merry dance.

“It started in your police interview and having seen the reports where initially the psychiatrists found you unfit to plead, it is quite clear you are a sophisticated young woman when it comes to deceiving people.

“The psychiatrists thought they had better change their mind, and they did, and they were right to.

“You have manipulated the process for the last few years. That’s why this offence is so old.”

The victim – who has learning difficulties and a low IQ – met Woolston on social media while he was living in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, but moved to Hartlepool to be close to Woolston.

A psychologist said he suffered from a number of issues including ‘suggestibility’, while his brother described him as overly-trusting and unable to distinguish between a friend and someone who is exploiting him.

Prosecutor Martin Towers said the man transferred money from his account to Woolston on “numerous occasions” in 2014, with the largest transaction being for £23,000.

In May of that year, “substantial” transfers were being made on an almost daily basis, said Mr Towers, and when her home was later searched, pieces of paper with passwords and security codes were found.

When she was quizzed by police, Woolston admitted being dishonest, but after a legal consultation said she did not understand what it meant, and produced a written statement.

When the victim was interviewed, he said he could not remember the £23,000 transaction, and added: “We were good friends until she scammed me.”

Amtrit Jandoo, mitigating, said Woolston, of Sheriff Street, Hartlepool, and also with an address of Campbell Grove, Redcar, was “thoroughly ashamed”.

He said: “It was opportunistic in some senses to begin with, but clearly there is a pattern that has developed whereby she has just taken money left, right and centre.”

He said Woolston suffered from a mild learning disability and possible bipolar disorder, and would find prison tough.

A case against her husband, Paul Woolston, 43, of Sheriff Street, Hartlepool, who was accused of money laundering, was dropped after her guilty pleas.