Woman sells house to repay $23K stolen from 94-year-old

A Dunedin woman who ripped off a 94-year-old for more than $23,000 has sold her house to repay the victim.

The 42-year-old appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, where her counsel, Andrew Dawson, confirmed she had sold her home and could pay back the stolen funds.

However, it now meant she did not have an available home-detention address, and the sentencing hearing had to be adjourned to find another.

Judge Michael Turner continued interim name suppression - which was originally imposed to help the woman sell her home - to protect her son who was sitting a school exam this week.

It was not the first time the defendant had stolen from a nonogenarian.

In 2015, she was convicted of stealing $40 from a 97-year-old woman.

Of her more recent offending, she pleaded guilty to two representative charges of using a document for a pecuniary advantage.

She was due to be sentenced in January but could only offer her victim $20 a week in reparation, which Judge Michael Turner called ''hollow''.

He delayed the sentencing so the woman could raise the funds.

The victim, who now lives in a rest-home, met the woman in 2009 when she lived alone and had required home help after undergoing surgery.

While that began as paid employment, the pair continued an informal arrangement.

The victim had been managing her own financial affairs until the middle of 2014 when she suffered a fall that landed her in hospital.

She spent three months in respite care before returning home in August that year.

The defendant continued her visits and helped with tasks such as ''grocery shopping, mail, paying invoices, tidying her bank statements and bills, and gardening'', court documents said.

The elderly woman entrusted her with her bank cards.

It started in May 2016.

While shopping, the defendant would splurge on products for herself too.

Over seven months she racked up a bill of $3443 on groceries, household goods, clothing, skin-care products and furniture, which she organised to be delivered to her home.

She would even swipe her own loyalty card to collect points for the transactions, the court heard.

The bulk of the fraud came from the defendant using her victim's bank card at ATMs.

By May 2017, she had swindled $19,600 from the woman's accounts.

She was captured on CCTV on numerous occasions making the cash withdrawals, police said.

The defendant was eventually rumbled when a family member of the victim became suspicious and noticed a power bill had not been paid.

A look at the bank statements revealed the depth of the care-giver's deceit.

Forty-four fraudulent transactions; $23,044 gone.

Crown prosecutor Catherine Ure said the woman's offending marked a ''gross breach of trust''.

''The pattern and period of time reflect significant premeditation,'' she said.

Judge Turner said the victim (with family members) and defendant had a restorative-justice conference but the sincerity of her remorse was questioned.

Sentencing will occur in July.

 

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