Woman avoids prison after pleading guilty to stealing from aunt
A GUILTY plea by a disgraced niece who fleeced the elderly aunt she was caring for has saved her from being jailed.
Instead, the six-month prison term given to 58-year-old Maureen Allen, who admitted stealing up to £11,000 from her aunt, was suspended for a year.
Judge Patricia Smyth told Allen, from Meadow Court, Newtownards, that normally her thefts would have warranted an immediate custodial sentence.
However, the Belfast Crown Court judge said she felt “justified” in suspending her sentence, given her admissions even before being formally interviewed, and her guilty plea had saved her aunt “the distress of having to give evidence”.
Judge Smyth said she also recMr ognised Allen’s was “a very sad case, a sad day for you and a sad day for your aunt”, and that she was “deeply ashamed” for what she had done, as a result of which she’d lost her “reputation within your family”.
The judge said Allen had “given into temptation” after finding herself in financial difficulties, and it was clear her thefts went to pay for everyday items and not to fund a lavish lifestyle.
“The personal circumstances you were in, were the cause of your offending in this case,” she added.
Earlier, prosecutor Simon Jenkins said Allen attempted to hide her thefts by redirecting her aunt’s bank statements to her own address. However, matters came to light when her aunt visited the bank to complain about statements she thought were not being sent out.
Jenkins said the thefts began when her aunt was in hospital and that between August 2015 and May the following year, Allen took a substantial amount of cash in 73 separate transactions, mainly by ATM withdrawals.
Defence barrister Chris Holmes said that Allen acknowledged the harm she had done, and that her offending began when she found herself in financial difficulties following the break-up of her marriage.
“She found herself in a position where she was taking money that was not hers ... there is no excuse for it and she is totally ashamed of herself,” said Mr Holmes, who added that since matters came to light, Allen has been “repentant throughout”.
As part of her sentence, Allen was ordered to pay £500 compensation, which she had earlier lodged in court.