Man spared jail for stealing £22,000 from father-in-law, 87, in ‘relentless’ fraud:

SON-IN-LAW IN ‘RELENTLESS’ FRAUD CAMPAIGN

A“GREEDY” man who stole more than £20,000 from his ailing father-in-law and used it to buy a new kitchen and music equipment has been given a suspended sentence after showing remorse.

Richard Morgan, 53, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court charged with fraud after he was caught helping himself to money from William Jones’ bank account between September 2018 and June 2019.

The court heard how Morgan took £22,458 from Mr Jones’s savings account while the 87-year-old was in and out of hospital.

When Mr Jones’ health began deteriorating he lost his eyesight and became more dependent on his daughter and her husband.

Morgan, of George Street, Holyhead, would go to the HSBC branch in Llangefni with Mr Jones and make far larger withdrawals than Mr Jones had asked for.

He progressed to making regular withdrawals of £500 using Mr Jones’ card but when staff at the bank noticed the suspicious transactions, they blocked the card. Morgan then forged Mr Jones’s signature in a note to persuade the bank to allow him to collect the replacement card, stating his father-in-law had “lost his mental faculties”.

He then tried to set up a third-party mandate in May 2019 while Mr Jones was in respite care.

He asked the bank if he could collect the replacement card but was told Mr Jones would have to collect it in person.

When Mr Jones was brought in to the branch in his wheelchair by his son-in-law and confessed that he had no idea how much money had been taken out of his account, Ms Devlin contacted the police.

During questioning, Morgan attempted to throw suspicion on to Mr Jones’ son who he claimed had benefited from the cash withdrawals.

Mr Jones passed away in May 2020 before he could give a victim impact statement.

Giving Morgan a 16-month sentence suspended for 18 months, Judge Nicola Jones said: “You defrauded your father-in-law for the sum of £22,458. You abused your position as the son-in-law of this elderly, frail gentleman to withdraw that total sum from his bank account.

“Thankfully local staff at HSBC in Llangefni became suspicious of your behaviour.

“You bought a ridiculous music wasn’t necessary.

“In interview you made denials and rather despicably threw suspicion on to someone else and caused him to have to become involved with the police and explain his own position.

“This was relentless. It wasn’t just one temptation on your part, it was a greedy and persistent effort to defraud this vulnerable gentleman.

“In mitigation I have taken in to account that your wife is extremely ill and requires constant care and you are the person who delivers that care.

“When you were interviewed by the extremely experienced probation officer it’s clear you showed genuine remorse and shame for what you had done.”

Morgan was also ordered to pay back the £22,458 and to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work. kitchen and some equipment which