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Greedy fraudster Richard Frost helped himself to nearly £50,000 from his elderly aunt’s savings. The 43-year-old had control of her bank accounts and began ‘borrowing’ money from them during covid.
But he became addicted to withdrawing the cash. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he also sold her car and kept the proceeds for himself.
The total amount of his fraud was £47,983.19. Now Frost has been jailed for 28 months.
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Prosecutor Emma Swindell said the victim had been living in care homes or hospitals since 2018 as she could no longer live independently due to ill health.
Frost offered to clear out her old rental property. She was grateful and he cleared out her house. Miss Swindell said: “She thought he might have arranged to sell her car as she no longer needed it. But she could not be sure.
“In May 2020, with the assistance of her carers, she requested bank statements. She had three bank accounts, two with Santander and one with the Post Office.
“The Post Office informed her they had closed her account and sent her a cheque for the balance, just over £13,000. It was paid into her Santander 123 account on July 3, 2020.
“In February 2021 she checked her accounts again. The balance of her 123 account was just over £800.
“The Santander fraud team started to investigate. Santander confirmed a series of transactions had been completed using internet and telephone banking. The number was linked to the defendant. There was no dispute the defendant was the one to make the transactions.
“There were numerous withdrawals made from the victims’ Santander accounts which she did not consent to. The payments went into the defendant’s bank account or his former partner’s and the proceeds of the sale of the victim’s car had been retained by the defendant. The total value of the fraud was £47,983.19.”
The victim, who has dementia, is too unwell to make a victim impact statement. In a police interview Frost said he said he owed his former partner money. He told his ex he had permission to do so. He added he became addicted to taking his aunt’s money.
Frost, of Burnaby Close, Basingstoke, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.
Anis Ali, mitigating, said Frost, who has no previous convictions, is embarrassed and ashamed. Mr Ali said: “He wanted to borrow money from his aunt during a difficult period, the covid pandemic. He became greedy.
“He remains deeply apologetic. He wishes to make amends. He can make recompense. He is working and is willing to pay compensation and put matters right.”
Judge Graeme Smith said: “It is difficult to think of a more blatant breach of trust, of taking advantage of someone like your elderly and unwell aunt.
“It became easy to keep on taking money from the accounts which you had control of. You took almost £50,000 from her accounts and from the proceeds of selling her car, all without her knowledge.”
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