Suzan Harrison, befriended 84-year-old Douglas Marston – who is terminally ill with cancer – after a chance meeting, then persuaded him to move in with her.

The Lancashire Evening Post has learned she then:

* Physically assaulted him
* Dumped him in the middle of the Trough of Bowland and made him find his own way back
* Made him write lines
* Threw cold water over him
* Would not let him use the toilet

Retired teacher Harrison, 55, who is originally from Fulwood and now lives in Lancaster, has admitted three counts at Preston Crown Court of ABH against the pensioner.

A close friend of Mr Marston described her "evil".

She said: "Douglas was punished, ridiculed, humiliated and felt he had nowhere to turn. He thought she was a genuine friend and someone outside the home he could talk to.

"He is a generous man who gave her a substantial amount of money to help with financial difficulties. He is gentle and kind and very vulnerable."

When the Evening Post attempted to speak to her, Harrison tried to rip notes from the reporter's pad.

Investigating officer PC Denise Kershaw from the Northern Division's Public Protection Unit said: "The victim in this case is a genuine, kind and generous man who was extremely vulnerable.

"Following a chance meeting with Harrison, he was groomed and deceived into believing he was being offered the hand of friendship.

"Unfortunately, he was subjected to a prolonged period of physical and emotional abuse which led to deep psychological trauma as he was completely under her power and control.

"Harrison showed herself to be a manipulative, controlling individual who had no remorse for what she did. In my opinion she is someone who poses a real risk to elderly and vulnerable people."

Mr Marston chose to live in Morecambe where he had happy memories of his wife and child, who died at a young age. But the pensioner's hopes of a happy retirement were cruelly shattered when he met Harrison in a queue at a chemist in 2004.

Over the next few weeks the mum-of-one, who used to live in Broadwood Drive, Fulwood, "groomed" him – inviting him for coffee and befriending him.

Eventually, Mr Marston left his accommodation at Sands Court residential home, Morecambe, to move in with her.

It has been alleged she charged the pensioner £100 a week rent, £50 a week for food, and started to fine him money for dropping food on the tablecloth.

It was alleged the psychological abuse spiralled with Harrison treating the pensioner like a child and making him write lines, such as: "I am an ill mannered man."

He was not allowed to turn one light on without another being turned off and she would not allow him to use the toilet at night.

Harrison limited Mr Marston's food, leading to him becoming extremely malnourished, and threw cold water over him when angry – such as if he "held a newspaper wrong".

She became violent towards him, pushing her hands in his mouth to gag him, and pushing him to the floor.

Harrison's acts were exposed when she tried to "school" the pensioner – making him answer questions to try to show he had dementia.

The plan backfired and social workers found out what had been happening.
Harrison told the Evening Post she had wanted to end the friendship with Mr Marston.

She said: "I believe myself to be an honest person and have friends who believe I was destined to work with people who could benefit from my giving, caring nature."

Mr Marston, now living in protected accommodation, is seriously ill.
Harrison, who lives on Torrisholme Road, Lancaster, will be sentenced on November 28.

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