Conwoman in puppies raid

Trickster also had wad of forged notes

AN Oldham man and woman were conned into parting with a pair of valuable shih tzu puppies by a trickster who paid them with forged banknotes then fled.

Gaynor McDonagh (42) peeled £700 from a huge wad of notes after confirming that she wanted the two female pups.

She then made an excuse to quickly get out of the house, by saying she had to show them to her daughter who had only one leg and was sitting outside in the car.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told that the owners of the pups realised they had been had, but by the time they went after her, McDonagh, and a younger woman that had been with her, had sped off in the vehicle.

The judge referred to the cash as “Monopoly money” — poor quality forgeries of genuine banknotes. The give-away was that all bore exactly the same serial number.

Police were able to trace McDonagh to her home address where a shih tzu pup was found, but it was not one of the two stolen.

Mark Angus, prosecuting, said the owners of the pups, who lived near to Mumps Bridge, had advertised them for sale and been contacted by McDonagh who made arrangements to meet up with them.

The court heard how McDonagh, of Fred Tilson Close, Moss Side, had a catalogue of offences dating back nearly 30 years.

Caroline Smith, defending, said McDonagh had a chaotic upbringing and her actions were basically motivated by her desire for money.

McDonagh, who pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and one of possessing counterfeit money, was told she was lucky to escape jail.

Sentencing her, Judge Stephen Dodds said: “Your behaviour was strange, greedy and downright unpleasant.

“There has been a complete lack of respect shown by you for other people’s houses and property.

“You are like a footpad from the Middle Ages, wandering around people’s homes, and stealing what you want.”

McDonagh, who has 29 previous convictions for more than 70 offences, was given a 12-month community order and will be electronically tagged for two months.