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A MAN who fleeced his sick, elderly aunt in a £150,000 con has been jailed.
In the scam Peter Thorne pocketed the huge sum of cash while his dementia-suffering victim was living at a nursing home in Oxford.
The 66-year-old of The Slade, Daventry, had admitted one count of fraud by abuse of position.
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He was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.
Francis Lloyd, prosecuting, said that Thorne fleeced his relative out of a total of £157,18.19.
He said that the elderly victim, who had lived in Kidlington, suffered from dementia and she moved into a nursing home in Oxford in 2011.
Thorne had power of attorney and became responsible for paying the nursing home.
The woman’s house was sold and the money placed into an account that Thorne was in charge of.
The court heard that Thorne went on to ‘dissipate’ all of that money.
When the woman died there was no money left and other relatives, suspecting fraud, reported the matter.
After his arrest Thorne said he had ‘done his best’ and it was said that he was a ‘motorcycle enthusiast’ who had spent money on motorbikes.
In mitigation Kellie Enever, defending, said that her client was ‘remorseful’ and added: “He absolutely understands he should not have done what he did.”
It was also revealed that he has no other previous convictions for any other offences.
Recorder Peter Guest, sentencing, said: “I am satisfied that your offending is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Thorne was jailed for 27 months and he must pay a statutory victim surcharge.
A further proceeds of crime act hearing will also take place to recover his ill-gotten gains. A fixed date for that hearing is yet to be confirmed.
