Granny, 74, who splurged £25k of dying dad's money at Ann Summers avoids jail

22 April 2022, 07:12

A pensioner who stole thousands from her dying father to fund shopping sprees at Ann Summers, has been spared jail.

Jeanette Lee, 74, stole £25,000 over a two-year period from her dementia-ridden father after she was appointed in charge of his affairs in 2015.

The Office of Public Guardian, a Government department who act to protect the financial affairs of people who lack the mental capacity, launched an investigation after £63,430 went missing.

The Government department found Ms Lee had stolen £25,000 and had splashed the cash in bars and at Ann Summers, but the court was told "she used some expenditure to help her father".

Lee of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position.

During a hearing at Derby Crown Court, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: 'It is always sad to see any person in the dock charged with a criminal offence but you are there having reached the age of 74 and having never been in trouble before and that is even sadder. 

"Between 2015 and 2017, you accept that you helped yourself to money you would have got anyway upon your father's death.

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"He developed dementia in 2009 and you were appointed in charge of his affairs. 

"What you did did not affect the quality of his life or make things difficult for him as his income allowed him to be comfortable in the care home.

"It had no detrimental effect on him but that you were entitled to the money in due course is no reason to help yourself to his money."

She was handed an18-month suspended prison sentence alongside a four-month curfew, monitored by an electronic tag, confining her to her home address between 7pm and 7am each day.