• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?

    Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?

    Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

    Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?

    Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?

    Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

    Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Eden firm targeted by sisters in £1.5 million fraud

by CWH
13 June 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Stephanie and Joanne Palmer

Two sisters are facing prison sentences for a £1.5million-plus fraud which saw a terrified woman issued with threats that her business would be finished and her children and grandchildren harmed.

Joanne Palmer, 40, and 38-year-old Stephanie Palmer made phone calls with a determined and relentless persistence during a dishonest scam over many months having targeted an Eden haulage firm.

A Carlisle Crown Court jury heard how the company secretary began receiving calls asking if she would like to advertise in magazines and online. She asked for paperwork to be sent in order to consider that proposition, but nothing arrived and no advertisements were ever placed nor invoiced for.

But the woman then began receiving calls claiming there was an outstanding balance to pay for what was non-existent advertising.

Numerous calls per day contained demands for payment, said prosecutor Tim Evans as he described the Palmer sisters going into overdrive.

Calls threatened that bailiffs would be at the woman’s home within the hour if she did not make the payments, said Mr Evans as he opened the case to jurors.

“They were abusive and threatened to finish her business,” he added, saying there were also chilling warnings that if she didn’t pay they were going to hurt her children and grandchildren.

Scared by the threats and amid concern for her family’s safety she began making payments, and was persuaded to hand over even more money as the sisters changed tack by promising to help recover cash if other funds were made available.

They were caught in the act after the woman’s daughter transferred calls to her own phone, pretended to be her mother and made recordings which were transferred to police. Concerns had previously been raised by bank staff concerned by enormous withdrawals.

Kelly Shaw

Cash sums totalling £1.22 million had been made by that company with money then cascading through different bank accounts — some in the sisters’ names and others belonging to two other women who admit money laundering.

One, Kelly Shaw, 41, received tens of thousands of pounds while a fourth woman, Stephanie Charnock, 43, was involved in the transfer of criminal property in four-figure sums.

Jurors heard how the Palmer sisters also trained their sights on a second business, the Bridlington Shellfish Company on England’s east coast.

Again money was demanded in respect of non-existent advertising with just short of £300,000 being handed over.

“Telephone evidence in the case shows repeated phone calls made by the Palmers to their two targets,” alleged Mr Evans.Phones and paperwork seized after the sisters’ arrests allowed detectives to painstakingly piece together what had happened and bring them to court.

Joanne Palmer and Stephanie Palmer went on trial having denied blackmailing both businesses, fraud and money laundering.

But as evidence was about to begin today, both admitted fraud against the two companies. As a result, the prosecution offered no evidence on the blackmail allegation. The money laundering charges will not be pursued with Judge Nicholas Barker observing they were really a function of the fraud.

Judge Barker adjourned the case and directed that the Palmers, along with Shaw, of ‪Winterburn Green, ‬and Charnock, of ‪Maplecroft, both Stockport, should be sentenced on August 4.‬

‪Probation service pre-sentence reports have been ordered and all four defendants have been granted bail.‬

‪Judge Barker told Joanne and Stephanie Palmer: “You should not assume that because I am adjourning the sentence and ordering these pre-sentence reports that a custodial sentence is not in the court’s mind. It is, of course.‬”

Related Posts

Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?
Expert advice

Is outsourcing a strategic opportunity amid rising employment costs?

22 June 2025
Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure
Expert advice

Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

21 June 2025
MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges
Latest

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

20 June 2025
Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days
Latest

Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

20 June 2025
Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith
Latest

Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

20 June 2025
New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose
News

New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

20 June 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Award for Eden writer

Award for Eden writer

20 June 2025
Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

20 June 2025
Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

20 June 2025
Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

Farms focus on cashflow following SFI scheme closure

21 June 2025
Looking back through the archives

Looking back through the archives

20 June 2025
Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

20 June 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald