Helper stole £1,800 from dead pensioner

A woman employed as a cleaner and helper for a Wolverhampton pensioner stole £1,800 from his bank account after his death and spent half the cash on a summer holiday.

Carla Hall, aged 38, avoided being sent to prison yesterday after pleading guilty to theft. She withdrew the money from the bank account of 86-year-old Ronald Baugh following his death in January last year.

District judge Michael Wheeler heard Hall, of Holloway Street, Bilston, was introduced to Mr Baugh and befriended him.

Prosecuting at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday, Jane Yeomans said Hall worked as a cleaner for Mr Baugh and the two became close.

But after his death his family became concerned after £1,800 was withdrawn from his bank account.

A police investigation revealed Hall had taken the cash days after Mr Baugh's death and kept the money in her partner's bank account.

The court heard how in August last year, she spent £900 on a family holiday.

Defending, Roger Dorrance said Hall was asked by Mr Baugh to empty his bank account shortly before his death but accepted she should not have kept the money.

He said £900 had been returned to Mr Baugh's family by police and Hall had saved £900 to pay the remaining amount immediately.

She pleaded guilty on the day of her trial on December 13 after previously denying theft.

District Judge Wheeler said the theft crossed the custody threshold but handed her a 14-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

She will be supervised by the probation service and will have to complete a specified activity as well as 160 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay £900 compensation and £500 costs.