A woman brainwashed her housemate into believing she had a boyfriend during a 'wicked' catfishing scam lasting almost 15 years, a court heard.
In what was likened to 'a plot from a Netflix drama', Claire Gilbert, 45, created fake online identities to fool her best friend Michelle Oldham.
Miss Oldham became besotted with a fictitious man, called 'Carl Murphy', swapping intimate and sexual messages with him.
She was also made to believe he had a young child called 'Katie' – a situation Gilbert used to extract money.
The conwoman has now been jailed for three years after admitting stalking and fraud at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
