Carer accused of taking £1,700 from account

Ten social service workers a day were calling at the home of Linda Hickman who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and Muscular Dystrophy when the money was withdrawn, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Miss Hickman kept the bank card used for the withdrawals and its PIN number in a handbag behind the sofa in the living room but she insisted it would not have been visible to visitors, the court heard.

She had given the code to Judith Jones, aged 63, who was among family members sharing the care of Miss Hickman and was allowed to withdraw £250 every three weeks for the disabled woman from the account. That arrangement was halted in February last year amid fears that additional money had been taken out by somebody using the bank card without permission, confirmed Miss Hickman.

She told the court yesterday that Jones continued to help with her care visiting until more unauthorised withdrawals were discovered and added: "I had trusted Judith until then but I suspected she was responsible for taking that money. I am sure it was her. None of the 10 social service carers could have taken the card."

Simon Williams, defending, retorted: "You cannot be certain of the identity of the person responsible because you were not with them when the withdrawals were made."

Miss Hickman has profound speech difficulties and gave evidence with the help of an officially appointed intermediary who listened to her answers and repeated them so that they could be heard by the jury.

Jones, of Grange Road, Coseley, is alleged to have used the bank card seven times in March and April last year to withdraw a total of £1,700 from the account. She was photographed by CCTV close to the relevant cash machines within four minutes of three of these transactions, said prosecutor Scott Coughtrie. She denies fraud at various cash points in Bilston between March 16 and April 15 last year.

The trial continues.