Wolverhampton carer stole £1,500 from life-long friend

Jacqueline Pugh started taking cash out of her childhood friend's bank account when she became seriously ill in August last year and was admitted to Penn Hospital in Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton Magistrates' court was told that the 51-year-old had been given access to her friend's bank account and went on to pocket £1,552.77 over a two-month period.

Prosecutor Mrs Rachel Smith said: "They were life-long friends and the defendant had looked after the complainant for a number of years leading up to the time she was admitted to hospital with mental health issues," she said.

"At this point she was given a bank card and PIN number to take care of the complainant's finances."

Mrs Smith said Pugh's fraudulent behaviour only came to light when the complainant's daughter visited her mother in hospital on October 25.

"She was not happy to see the defendant had possession of her mother's bank card," she added.

"When she checked the account on the Internet a few days later she saw that substantial amounts of money had been withdrawn, which she reported to the police.

"We have a severe breach of trust and a vulnerable victim."

The court was told Pugh made 46 separate withdrawals from the account between August 22 and October 28.

Mr Surinder Joshi, defending, said Pugh had started taking the money due to mounting financial difficulties.

"When her friend was taken into Penn Hospital she started using the card for her own purposes," he said.

"Her and her husband had fallen on hard times and were struggling to make ends meet. She stole small amounts at a time and did not realise how much it had amounted to." The court heard Pugh had started paying money back into the account she stole from at a rate of £30 per week.

Pugh, of Pendrill Road, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, admitted fraud by false representation. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and she is due to appear at the same court for sentencing on April 3.