Stepson tells how alleged fraudster kissed blind man on lips and shut out neighbours
A blind man in his 90s had no understanding of the true value of money when he bought his cleaner a house, a jury heard.
His stepson, who called in social workers after learning of the deal, told Wolverhampton Crown Court: "I believe he did not know the difference between £200,000 and £20,000.
"The last time he bought a house it probably cost £5,000 or £8,000. On one occasion he gave me a wallet to check his money, saying there was £300 in it. In fact it was £2,000."
Musician Peter Butler, who lives abroad and went to see him twice a year, but was in regular phone contact, said neighbours of the house where his stepfather had lived for about 30 years were brilliant and like a family until the cleaner called Sue – whose real name was Veronica Robinson – arrived in late summer 2013.
Mr Mark Jackson, prosecuting, has alleged that 61-year-old Robinson and her partner Robert Homer, 66, deliberately isolated the man so she could gain control of his money.
Mr Butler met her for the first time in March 2014 on a visit to the Black Country during which she gave his stepfather a kiss on the lips which he felt was 'a bit strange'.
She confirmed to Mr Butler during a phone call several weeks later that she had been given £10,000 by his stepfather, but claimed it was a loan, the court was told.
She also allegedly said: "I am not registered, but I am a carer with experience of looking after elderly people."
Mr Butler returned in October 2014 to discover that the locks on his stepfather's house had been changed, a move supposedly arranged by Robinson's partner Homer.
Mr Butler said: "This was to shut out the neighbours. They told me the neighbours were against them. She said they were jealous."
He next visited in April 2015 after a house in Beecher Road, Halesowen, had been bought for the cleaner with £188,000 from his stepfather's savings.
Mr Butler said he received a call on April 3 from Homer and claimed: "He asked me to compose a letter saying that my stepfather had offered the house of his own free will as a gift. I said that I could not do that.
"I could hear Miss Robinson in the background, but Mr Homer was taking the lead."
Robinson, of High Haden Road, Cradley Heath, denies fraud by abuse of position and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Homer, of the same address, pleads not guilty to aiding and abetting the fraud and false representation.
The case continues.
