Clenchwarton carer stole from pensioner
A CARER who stole almost £3,000 from the vulnerable pensioner she helped look after has been jailed for four months.
Patricia Pears (55) was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after she admitted stealing 2,950 from Margaret Griffiths (88) between September 8 and February 1 this year.
The court was told that Mrs Griffiths had described Pears as "the daughter I never had" after acting as an unofficial carer.
Mr John Morgans, prosecuting, said Pears made regular withdrawals from Mrs Griffiths' account.
The matter only came to light when Mrs Griffiths' niece became aware that her aunt's account was overdrawn.
Pears, of 33 Linford Estate, Clenchwarton, originally denied the allegations but later admitted the offences and said she had debts of up to 36,000.
The court was told that in the last six months of her life Mrs Griffiths became paranoid over the breach in trust and would not accept help from anyone, even when she needed it most. She died in July.
Mr William Carter, mitigating, said Pears was a woman of previous good character who was remorseful and ashamed.
Recorder Stuart Bridges said: "Only a custodial sentence can be imposed. It was a mean and callous theft from someone who thought of you as the daughter she never had."
Speaking after the sentence, Mrs Skipper said: "It is very sad as my aunt never got over the mistrust and it is sad her remaining months of life were so affected by it."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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