A continually lying blackmailer preyed on a vulnerable victim who had offered to help support her and her young family.
Demi Lee Pallas created a fake Facebook account using a random name generator and made repeated threats towards the woman with demands for money, in 2022.
Pallas exposed the victim to more than £700 of financial losses which led to her attempting to take her own life.
During the course of her offending, Pallas sent serious threats of violence to the victim which made her feel unsafe in her own home.
She then moved her into her address, to gain further control of her, and to blackmail her even further.
(Image: Durham Constabulary)
When police became aware, the complainant was still at the suspect’s home address.
She was described as, "shaken, scared to leave her house and very apprehensive" about speaking to officers.
But even at that time, she had no idea that it was Pallas who was blackmailing her.
During the early stages of the investigation the defendant lied in a police statement, telling officers how she would go with the victim to meet with ‘travellers’ at a secluded location and would watch her hand the money over.
Pallas also made attempts to name other individuals as potential suspects in an attempt to lead the investigation away from her.
She disclosed that she had taken photos of the vehicles involved in these pickups, but officers later discovered that this was yet another lie and that the images taken were of random cars.
Officers gathered enough evidence and charged the 25-year-old with blackmail and perverting the cause of justice.
Pallas, of Peterlee, plead guilty to both charges at an earlier hearing and was sentenced at Durham Crown Court on Friday (June 6) to 30 months in prison.
She was also issued with an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim and ordered to pay a £228 statutory court charge.
Detective Constable Ash Hagar, from Peterlee CID said: “This sentence has been a long time coming for Demi Pallas and I am pleased that she will serve some time in custody for her actions.
(Image: The Northern Echo)
“Pallas made a conscious decision to do what she did.
"She took advantage of the vulnerabilities of the victim and when presented with the evidence against her, she continued to lie.
“I am pleased that the victim has continued to support the investigation as blackmail is a horrendous and emotional crime which can have a life-long impact on those it affects.”
Anyone who has experienced similar behaviour is asked to simply call police on 101. Further advice about fraud or cybercrime, is available by contacting Action Fraud, on 0300 -123 2040.
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