A woman has been jailed after she set up a robbery of a family friend using a fake scenario in which a violent intruder invaded a home in Abbey Wood.

Simone Fortune, of Park Corner Road in Gravesend, and her partner Carlos Lane, of Old Road East in Gravesend, were sentenced yesterday at Woolwich Crown Court.

Police said that Simone had known her victim for more than 14 years but “she betrayed that trust in the most despicable manner”.

Simone, 37, had arranged to visit the victim’s home on November 23, 2021, and also brought a young girl who she was caring for at the time over to the house.

After around 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door and Simone insisted that the man answered it.

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Lane, 38, who had been told to turn up at the home, grabbed Simone by the hair as part of a fake scenario that the couple were acting out.

Lane then threatened to harm Simone unless the victim co-operated with him.

Continuing the act, Lane told Fortune to tie the man to a chair using tape and then began to steal items that totalled to more than £25,000.

The victim felt fearful for his safety and so did the child who had been brought to the house by Simone.

Lane then fled the address carrying two bags.

Once Lane had left, Fortune untied the victim from the chair but then said she had to leave to collect another child.

The crime was reported to the police and Fortune provided a convincing amount of detail about the incident, however officers noticed cracks appearing in Fortune's story on further examination.

Police noticed that Fortune’s phone records showed that she had travelled to a different location than where she had originally said, including a trip to a service station on the M25 a few hours prior to the robbery.

CCTV footage showed fortune meeting another person which was identified as Carlos Lane.

She returned to the same service station around an hour after the fake robbery and met with Lane a second time.

The CCTV footage showed the pair rummaging through the contents of a bag that matched the appearance of the one Lane used to take items from the victim’s home.

Police attended Fortune’s home with an arrest warrant and when they arrived, Lane was also at the address.

They were both arrested.

Further analysis of their mobile phones revealed messages between the pair and how they were planning to sell some of the items they had stolen.

On March 4 at Woolwich Crown Court, both defendants were charged with robbery and Fortune was additionally charged with perverting the course of justice.

They pled guilty to these offences.

Yesterday on Monday, October 3, Lane was jailed for five years and three months and Fortune was jailed for four years.

The officer in charge of the investigation, DC Toks Jegede of the South East Command Unit Robbery and Burglary Team said: “Simone Fortune had been a close friend of the victim and his family for over 14 years but she betrayed that trust in the most despicable manner.

“Not only did she manipulate a situation where she and her partner Carlos Lane could carry out a robbery that left the victim understandably terrified, she even exposed a young child to this frightening situation.

“Fortune is an extremely manipulative woman who conspired with Lane to carry out this plan. Both must now spend a significant amount of time in jail which is fully deserved.

“The victim continues to recover from his ordeal with the support of his friends and family, and I would like to commend his strength throughout this investigation.”

A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “A woman who set up and was complicit in the robbery of a close family friend has been jailed.

“Simone Fortune – 37 (13.05.85) of Park Corner Road, Gravesend conspired with Carlos Lane – 38 (30.07.84) of Old Road East, Gravesend to rob the man in Abbey Wood.

“The court heard how Fortune had arranged to visit the man at his house during the afternoon of 23 November 2021 – she even brought along a young girl who she was looking after as part of her plan.

“After around 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door which Fortune insisted on answering.

“It was Lane who had been instructed to attend the house.

“Unbeknownst to the victim, the pair acted out a scenario where Lane grabbed Fortune by the hair and threatened to harm her unless the victim co-operated.

“Lane instructed Fortune to bind the victim to a chair using tape and then began to steal items including jewellery – the total value stolen was over £25,000.

“Throughout the ordeal, Lane and Fortune play-acted the scenario leaving the victim fearful for her safety, and that of the child who witnessed what was going on.

“Lane then fled the address with two bags; one of which was a distinctive JD Sports bag.

“Fortune untied the victim but then said she had to leave to pick up another child.

“Police were called and when they spoke to Fortune, she provided a convincing account of what had happened. However, once police began to examine her story, cracks began to appear.

“Using phone records, detectives could see Fortune had travelled to a different location to where she had said, including a trip to a service station on the M25 in the hours prior to the robbery.

“CCTV analysis showed Fortune’s car there and her meeting another person – he was identified as Carlos Lane.

“Fortune’s car returned to the same service station around an hour after the offence; again she was with Lane – this time, CCTV captured the pair going through the contents of a bag strikingly similar to one of those used by Lane to transport the goods from the robbery.

“Officers attended Fortune’s address to execute an arrest warrant – when they arrived, Lane was also present. Both were arrested.

“Further analysis of their mobile phone revealed messages exchanged between the pair, discussing how they were attempting to sell some of the items they had stolen.

“Both were charged with robbery, and Fortune was additionally charged with perverting the course of justice – on 4 March 2022, they pleaded guilty to these offences at Woolwich Crown Court.

“At the same court on Monday, 3 October Lane was jailed for five years and three months; Fortune was jailed for a total of four years.”

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