Relative stole £12k from dementia sufferer

A thief who plundered the post office account of his dementia-suffering 71-year-old step-brother, leaving him near penniless, has avoided an immediate jail term.

John Rudd stole more than £12,000 from the account of John Homer, who lives at Lakeview Nursing Home based in Great Wyrley.

The 58-year-old withdrew pension credits and disability living allowance which were being were paid into his stepbrother's account and left him unable to afford the most basic items, including toiletries.

Judge John Warner, sentencing Rudd at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, called his behaviour "thoroughly despicable" but made the decision to spare him an immediate prison sentence due to his poor health.

Rudd, of Martley Road, Pelsall, had access to his stepbrother's account card and PIN number.

In total, he made dozens of withdrawals between October 2009 and October 2011.

He took everything from the account each time he withdrew money between October 2009 and December 2010.

However, there was an eight-month gap before he started to make withdrawals again. In total, Rudd, who previously admitted theft at an earlier hearing, withdrew £12,319.45 from Mr Homer's account.

Staff at the nursing home contacted Rudd over their concerns about the lack of money being offered to support Mr Homer, and a social worker eventually visited Rudd's address.

Rudd then admitted to the social worker that he had withdrawn the cash because he was facing financial difficulties, and the matter was reported to police.

An investigation found Rudd had made cash withdrawals from his step-brother's account on more than 40 separate occasions.

Rudd's sentencing was previously postponed after it came to light he had a heart condition and needed to attend appointments at Walsall Manor Hospital for check-ups.

Sentencing him yesterday, Judge Warner said: "You stole money from a vulnerable victim while in a position of authority.

"It was a thoroughly despicable thing to do, and my view was that you should go to prison.

"But a medical report shows that, because of your difficulties, you would not be able to undergo a prison sentence, therefore I do not seek to go behind that report."

Rudd was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a 12-month supervision order.