A Lancaster carer who stole almost £10,000 from the 91-year-old wife of a bed-bound man has been sent to prison.
Danielle Houghton, 32, of Buttermere Road, Lancaster, was jailed for two years and nine months after pleading guilty to theft and fraud by false representation.
Houghton’s victim was 91 and suffered with dementia, and her husband, the man she was supposed to be caring for, was 92 years old and bed-bound.
During the course of the investigation, both the victim and her husband passed away.
Houghton had stolen a bank card from the elderly woman and spent almost £10,000 in less than three months, in addition to an extra £800 she tried to obtain as well.
She withdrew £7,700 of this money from cash machines to spend, and blew the other £2,073.14 on trips to tanning shops, gambling sites, Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions, Sports Direct, KFC, petrol, and general shopping including cigarettes and alcohol, to name but a few.
The victim’s son explained the impact of Houghton’s actions on his mum and family in the Victim Impact Statement he read at the sentencing:
"'Something bad has been done to me, but I cannot remember what it is…'
"That heartbreaking phrase was my frail, vulnerable, and deeply upset mum's constant refrain.
"'Something bad has been done to me.' She carried that desolate anxiety to her grave, unable to quietly enjoy the tranquillity of her home and garden in her final months, haunted by a distress she couldn't resolve.
“Danielle Houghton’s criminal actions have also regrettably tarnished the reputation of care providers in a sector already facing immense challenges.”
Her daughter said, in her Victim Impact Statement, also read at the sentencing.
“Sadly, mum didn’t live to know that the person who defrauded her of almost £10,000 eventually met justice.
"Instead, this fiercely independent but ultimately vulnerable 91 year old lady died, knowing that she couldn’t trust those coming into her house to help care for her bed-bound husband.”
DC Peter Bennett, of Lancaster Criminal Investigation Department, said “Houghton’s selfish actions against a vulnerable lady are despicable.
"I welcome the prison sentence handed down to her which not only punishes her actions, but sends out a clear message to others who might be tempted to offend in a similar manner.
"Their mother died not knowing that the person responsible for taking half her life savings had faced justice, and their father also died during the course of the investigation, which increases the suffering of the family.”
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