Gambling addict who stole from dad hid in forest for year
AGAMBLING addict who swindled his father out of more than £40,000 hid in a forest for a year and ate food donated by neighbours.
Ian Edwards, 53, had already admitted defrauding his 88-year-old father, Albert, and taking £40,887.84 from his bank account between December 2017 and May 2018.
It emerged in the hearing at Mold Crown Court that he had committed fraud against his father in 2011 but received a community penalty on that occasion. He also had previous convictions for dishonesty, burglary and 15 counts of theft.
Appearing by video link, the defendant, of no fixed address but who lived with his father in Llangollen at the time of the offences, heard prosecutor Matthew Curtis describe how Mr Edwards senior had been taken ill with a stroke and later had to go into a care home.
The defendant ordered a card in November 2017 from his father’s
account and used his details to obtain money with it.
The defendant’s brother, Elwyn, wanted to pay fees for his father’s care of around £3,000 but the payment was rejected.
He went with his father to the NatWest bank in Wrexham, where it was seen there was suspicious activity on the account. He queried the transactions as the victim never used a bank card.
Mr Curtis said: “When the defendant went to the care home, he was told his father and brother had gone to the bank. At this, he ceased contact with his father.
“On June 25, Elwyn Edwards was granted power of attorney and with the bank’s assistance found more than £40,000 had gone missing. His father felt shattered.”
It emerged the defendant hid in a forest near Froncysyllte after leaving his father’s home and lived off handouts from local people for around a year.
When he was arrested, he complained about his relationship with his father and denied applying for the credit card and said he could not remember the PIN.
However, he later admitted withdrawing large amounts of money in Wrexham and Rhyl due to his gambling addiction, saying “it got out of hand”.
Henry Hills, defending, said: “The pre-sentence report acknowledges remorse and he knows the extent of his wrongdoing. His addiction has left Mr Edwards in despair.”
Sentencing Edwards to 28 months in prison, Judge Peter Heywood said: “It was a mean offence.”