THE lonely friend of a dementia- stricken 83-year-old woman stole £12,000 of her money after falling for a Facebook scam.

Elizabeth Shimell, 67, sent £12,000 of her friend’s cash to a man she met on the social network who she believed to be from Ghana.

When the ruse initially began, in March last year, Shimell was sending her own money but when she ran out, she started using money trusted to her by the victim, who had moved into a care home and had granted her joint power of attorney.

Shimell, of Bellfield Avenue, Brightlingsea, had looked after the victim, who was a trusted friend and neighbour and had regularly helped her with cooking and cleaning.

But Sharon Hall, prosecuting, said Shimell had abused that trust after meeting a mystery man online.

She said: “The defendant says she got involved with a male online in Africa and was sending amounts of money to him.

“The amount of money she was put in charge of was £12,000.

“In a police interview she does say she takes some money out for the victim, but that doesn’t come to any more than £1,000.”

Caroline Woodley, mitigating, said Shimell is a lonely woman who had been the victim of an online fraud.

She added: “When she went into a care home, she asked Ms Shimell to have power of attorney along with another lady with the Salvation Army.

“Around that time Ms Shimell’s daughter, who was 40, died from bowel cancer.

Her younger daughter died when she was 14.

“She was extremely lonely. She went on Facebook and was fooled by a gentlemen who said he was from Ghana.

“She began sending him money, using her own money at the start, but when that wasn’t enough she used the money available to her.”

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Shimell suffers with arthritis, heart disease and depression.

Mrs Woodley added: “It is a sad story regarding a really lonely old lady.

“The victim is vulnerable, and she feels absolutely terrible about what she has done.”

Magistrates declined jurisdiction over the sentencing, with chairman of the bench Martin Stuchfield acknowledging the crime is too serious.

He said: “It is unfortunate the victim will likely never live long enough to receive the compensation due to her.

“This is a bridge too far. This is a very serious offence involving a large amount of money.

“The victim was a vulnerable per - son and you were in a position of trust, you abused that position.”

Shimell admitted theft yesterday.

She will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court next month