An ex-nurse drained £65,000 from the account of her dementia-suffering mum – leaving her unable to pay care home fees.
Gillian Hillier, 54, claimed spiralling debts led her to “borrow” the money, until care home staff noticed the 88-year-old victim’s costs had not been paid.
Hillier, of Hansby Drive, Hunts Cross (L24), pleaded guilty to theft at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today, in relation to offences between March 2010 and July last year.
The court heard she has since paid back around £18,000 of the stolen amount.
Sarah Gray, prosecuting, told the court Hillier was in control of her mum’s account during the period the money was taken.
She said: “The complainant in this matter is 88-years-old and resides in a care home, and has been diagnosed with dementia. This defendant registered a Lasting Power of Attorney over the victim’s financial affairs on March 15, 2010. Since then the amount of money stolen has been utilised, not for her mum’s care, but for her own day to day costs.
“It came to light because the defendant stopped paying care home fees. A flag was raised and there was insufficient funds in her account at that time.”
"I have never been in trouble before and always had a good relationship with my parents"
Hillier, who represented herself in court, claimed the collapse of her business in 2008 led to spiralling debts.
Reading from a handwritten statement, she said: “I would like the court to know I started work in the NHS at the age of 16 and I worked for 23 years as a nurse and a midwife. I have never been in trouble before and always had a good relationship with my parents.
“I left the NHS in 2001 and went into business with my husband selling mortgages. But in 2008 when, the credit crunch hit, our business was literally wiped out.”
She told the court at the time they had a £2,000 per month mortgage to pay and attempted to start another business, which was unsuccessful.
Hillier claimed her house was eventually repossessed and the couple sold their car to pay debts.
She said her mum was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, which deteriorated until she was found wandering the streets on Christmas Eve that year.
"It was always our intention to pay it back"
The couple started looking after the victim themselves in a buy to let property until she was moved into a care home.
Hillier, who claimed she had “literally no money” told the court: “We just started in our minds to borrow the money, and it was always our intention to pay it back. But as time went on our ability to pay it back became less.”
Deputy District Judge David Stott said his powers of sentence were insufficient due to the amount of money stolen.
He passed the case to Liverpool Crown Court were Hillier will be sentenced on September 18.
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Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/