A Jamaican woman and her husband have been jailed in the United Kingdom for trying to steal nearly £1 million from the estates of two dead pensioners.

According to a report in the Press Association, 32-year-old Georgia Forteath and her husband Harvil Connally, 39, both of Drakefell Road were sentenced at Inner London Crown Court last Thursday after it was found that they tried to fraudulently cash in on the estates of Frederick Lewis and Doreen Kimber.

Forteath was sentenced to eight years after being found guilty of 23 counts of fraud while Connally, who was found guilty of fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

THE STAR understands that the investigation into the fraud began after Lewis was found dead at home on New Year's Day in 2008.

His relatives, who had emigrated to Australia, were contacted and his brother arranged the funeral. It is understood that when Lewis' brother went back to Australia he appointed a solicitor to sort out the estate but it was found that the accounts had been emptied and closed.

Further investigation showed a will stating the executor as Georgia Forteath, however, when the document was inspected the signature proved to be fraudulent and the beneficiary name false.

THE STAR further understands that Forteath and Connally named a Doreen Kimber as a co-executor on the bogus will but it was discovered that she had also recently died.

In the meantime, the Metropolitan police say they are still looking for other people believed to have been involved in the scam.