Maitland woman Sylvia Gileff’s charges dropped after alleged $187,000 theft from woman, 68

A country woman who allegedly stole a small fortune from a 68-year-old woman had a win in court after her charges were dropped due to lengthy police delays.

A woman who allegedly ripped off another woman almost $200,000 had a win in court after lengthy police delays resulted in her charges being dropped.

Sylvia Rita Gileff, 48, had her two charges of dishonestly dealing with property without the owner’s consent dismissed in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last week.

Last month, Magistrate Simon Smart gave prosecutors a final chance to make charge determination after they asked for an adjournment to analyse Ms Gileff’s bank accounts and seek further details from the alleged victim.

However, in court last week they asked for a further six weeks, which was opposed by Ms Gileff’s counsel.

Mr Smart dismissed the Maitland woman’s charges as a result.

Sylvia Gileff leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

Both of those charges were, according to court documents, aggravated by two factors – the age of the alleged victim, and the fact Ms Gileff was in some kind of relationship with her.

According to those documents, the alleged rip-off happened for nearly four years between January 2016 and November 2019.

Police will allege it left 68-year-old Reid woman Nina Minenko out of pocket to the tune of $187,621.

One of the charges Ms Gileff faces relates to “permanently depriving (Mrs Minenko) or making a serious encroachment on (Mrs Minenko’s) proprietary rights” for a total of $145,399.

The second of those charges relates to an alleged swindle of $42,220.

Ms Gileff was arrested in September last year on the charges and faced the Elizabeth Magistrates Court the following month.