Woman who extorted £70,000 from grieving widower she met in pub jailed

A woman who extorted more than £70,000 from a grieving widower after threatening to have him beaten up has been jailed.

Margaret Watson also told her victim that she would lie to people that he had sexually assaulted her if he did not give her the money.

The big-hearted stranger offered to give Watson, who is also known as Margaret Mclellan, money to get her cooker fixed after meeting her in a pub.

But she discovered he had £80,000 in his bank account and began to demand money from him on a regular basis.

She managed to fleece the 67-year-old of more than £70,000 before he went to the police.

He had planned to retire but had to continue working to make up for the money that he had lost by paying Watson. 

But Watson is now behind bars after being jailed for two years over the extortion at Paisley Sheriff Court.

The 54-year-old was found guilty by a jury previously and returned to the dock today, Friday, September 27, 2026, to be sentenced.

Defence Solicitor Advocate Mark Chambers asked for Watson, of Renfrew, to be spared prison.

He said she would be able to carry out unpaid work as a punishment for the extortion and would comply with a Restriction of Liberty Order (RoLO).

He added: "And the court has open to it the possibility of a Compensation Order, although payments would be somewhat limited.

"She has endured hard times in so far as her domestic situation and she has come through that."

But Sheriff Bruce Erroch KC ruled there was only one way he could deal with Watson, and jailed her for two years.

He also made her the subject of a Non-Harassment Order, banning her from having any contact with her victim for 10 years.

He said: "In February you were found guilty after trial of the crime of extorting the sum of just over £70,000 by threats.

"He had not long been widowed and had taken to going to a pub in Renfrew. He knew one of your brothers from school but did not know you.

"You gave him a sob story about your cooker. He had had six or seven pints of beer and said he'd give you £300.

"You went with him to the cash machine and, after he'd entered his PIN, leant over and pressed 'balance'. There was £80,000 in his account. 

"You later asked him for £5,000 and said if he didn't you'd have him beaten up and tell people he sexually assaulted you.

"It was a total sum of just over £70,000. The jury clearly rejected your account of the money being gifts to you.

"He had to delay his retirement due to the financial circumstances that he suffered.

"He was vulnerable due to his recent bereavement, as well you knew.

"I have considered all sentencing options open to me. I consider there is no other way of dealing with you."

Watson had laughed and joked with friends while sitting in the public gallery awaiting sentence.

But the smile was wiped from her face when she was told that she was being sent to prison.

As she was led away in handcuffs to begin her sentence, a woman who had gone to court with her said: "Mags, you'll be fine. You'll be fine, Mags. Don't worry."