A CON artist who tricks her way into vulnerable people's homes and gets them to give her money has been banned from knocking on the door of every home in Blackburn.

Police said Victoria Coughlin targeted the elderly, people with terminal illness, people with learning difficulties and those with dementia in the Shear Brow, Infirmary and Ewood areas of Blackburn.

Officers said Coughlin would tell residents a fake ‘sob story’ about how she had been in a car accident and needed to get to hospital – or that she had been the victim of fraud herself and desperately needed money to pay her gas or electricity bill.

When victims fell for her story, Coughlin would return to the property again and again, leaving them feeling worried and intimidated. There were at least 20 victims of the scam.

PC Sam Wright: “She has been targetting vulnerable people – the elderly, the infirm, people with dementia, people with learning difficulties, people with terminal cancer – going to their door late at night with a sob story, crying and making up reasons why she needs money. If anyone gave her money she would go back to them again and again.

“Some of her victims have described feeling terrified and unable to sleep. They were concerned about if and when she would be coming back.”

PC Wright praised the work of his colleague PCSO Janine Tyrer is securing the two-year criminal behaviour order which bans Coughlin from approaching any house and knocking on the door, ringing the doorbell or knocking on the window without being invited to attend.

She must also not approach any person on the street or any public place without invitation and ask for money, solicit any donations of money by any means or make any false claims with the intention of soliciting money.

PC Wright added: “If she comes to your house the advice is to not give her any money or trust what she is telling you. Instead call 101 and ask for a message to be passed to myself or PCSO Tyrer.”