This Woman Will Serve 5 Months For These HEINOUS Crimes!

Jailed, carer who stole £4,000 from dying woman, 91

A CALLOUS carer has been jailed after she stole nearly £4,000 from a dying pensioner who had trusted her. Joanne Heald, 48, was attending to cancer-stricken housebound Christine Woodhouse, 91.

But within days of starting work, she began using Mrs Woodhouse’s debit card to buy herself alcohol and clothes.

She carried out eight cash withdrawals totalling £2,750 and defrauded Mrs Woodhouse out of an additional £1,000, Preston Crown Court was told.

Police were called in after Mrs Woodhouse, of Lytham St Annes, died in January 2017 and all her banking paperwork appeared to be missing.

A search of Heald’s home uncovered Mrs Woodhouse’s cheque book, bank card and statements, driving licence and house and garage keys.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/974530/carer-jailed-theft-dying-woman-pensioner-91-joanne-heald

By CHRIS RICHES

Blogger: When I trained as a magistrate in the mid 90s - a virtually identical case was analysed. That too was a woman and, using 'theft in breach of trust' as your marker - this was a 4 year sentence in Crown Court - of which she would have served two thirds.

I am horrified that 'theft in breach of trust' should now attract such a derisory sentence in the given circumstances.

May I add that the situation studied was markedly less heinous where victims were concerned.