Jailed for fleecing mum-in-law
THIEF TOOK MORE THAN £110,000 FROM BANK ACCOUNT AND LEFT HER PENNILESS
A former financial adviser who stole more than £110,000 from his war hero mother-in-law and left her to die penniless has been jailed.
Ian Downs used modestliving Mary Garvey’s money to fund his and his hairdresser wife’s lifestyle, which saw them “living hopelessly beyond their means”.
The 67-year-old admitted taking £90,565 from the widow’s bank account before her death, between March 2005 and May 2013, and pocketing £19,697 paid into her bank from insurance policies, between May 2013 and October 2013, after she passed away.
It was only after the death of Mary, 94, who halted an explosion on an Allied train during her war service, that the “startling picture” of deceit was revealed.
Father-of-one Downs, of St Bedes, East Boldon, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft at a previous hearing.
Prosecutor Yvonne Taylor told Newcastle Crown Court: “Investigations showed that this defendant, at one time, worked for a building society and was believed to have financial expertise.
“However, he had not worked for many years and had not claimed benefits.
“His wife had worked as a part-time hairdresser.
“It is the prosecution case they were living hopelessly beyond their means, despite receiving a total of £38,000 in deposits into a joint account from the defendant’s mother between the period of March 15, 2006, and July 2, 2008, after she died.
“Investigations also showed this defendant relied heavily on loans and credit cards.
“In essence, the complainant’s money was eaten up by living expenses and debts.”
Judge Sarah Mallett jailed Downs for two-andhalf years.
The judge told him: “I have to bear in mind the importance of protecting vulnerable, elderly people from exploitation by family members who have easy access to their money.”
The judge said it was an aggravating feature that the offending went on for over eight years and continued after the victim’s death.
Judge Mallett said Downs had been living “beyond your means” but said there was no evidence of a “lavish lifestyle”.
Prosecutors have started proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to get back any remaining assets Downs has left.
Mrs Garvey had served in the British Army Catering Corps during the Second World War, where she met her soldier husband Anthony.
During her time in the military she travelled across Europe and was even credited with preventing the explosion of a bomb on an allied train.
Mary was sadly left widowed when Anthony died aged just 59 in 1977 and later became reliant on her family for support as she suffered from dementia.
Downs took control of her financial matters but secretly made a number of small payments into his own accounts.
He gave Mary, who lived in sheltered accommodation in Benton, Newcastle, money to spend each week and bought her groceries and clothing.
When the family asked for her to be moved into a care home set up especially for war veterans, they were told by Downs that it was not a good idea.
The deceit came to light months after Mary’s death when her daughter, and Downs’ sister-in-law, Gwenda, and granddaughter Angela asked about any inheritance.
Downs told them he would let them know, but months went by without any word and eventually Angela confronted him and demanded to see copies of the accounts.
When he failed to present the documents, she contacted detectives at Northumbria Police, who then uncovered the huge fraud.
Angela said her war-hero gran “deserved a life of luxury” but instead had been left without a penny to her name: “This case was never about the money.
“It was about the fact a woman who dedicated her life to her country was left to die in poverty.
“My grandmother deserved a life of luxury and should have had anything she wanted, but instead a person she trusted ended up stealing all her money.
“She was vulnerable, lonely and suffering from dementia but my uncle took advantage of that for his own financial gain.
“He has torn our family apart and I will never be able to forgive him for how he treated my grandmother. I am glad that he will now be held accountable for his actions.”
Fiona Lamb, defending, said said Downs’ offending has “torn up an otherwise happy family” and that he is remorseful and ashamed.
Following the conviction, Detective Constable Frank Cox described the case as an “appalling breach of trust”.