Swindler jailed for fleecing employer

A Shropshire woman who swindled an 89-year-old pensioner out of a five-figure sum of money has today been jailed for two years.

Edna Starkey, of Queensway, Whitchurch, previously admitted stealing more than £40,000 from Gladys Kynaston, of Weston House care home in Green End, Whitchurch, between 2002 and 2004.

Shrewsbury Crown Court today heard Starkey had committed nine offences of theft and 13 charges of dishonestly using a bank card to withdraw money from cash machines. She was sentenced to two years for each charge, to run concurrently.

The court heard how Starkey had been employed to help Mrs Kynaston with daily errands. Ian Ball, prosecuting, said the 66-year-old used a cheque book to siphon thousands of pounds from Mrs Kynaston’s account after she was granted power of attorney over her victim’s financial estate.

Starkey also dishonestly used Mrs Kynaston’s bank card to withdraw money from cash machines, he said.

Paul Smith, for Starkey, said his client claimed her husband, David Starkey, who died in August 2005, had forged the signatures on the cheques.

He said: “Mrs Starkey says she does not know where the money went.”

Judge Nicholas Mitchell told Starkey the crimes were so serious he had no choice but to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

He also ordered an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act to find out where the money had gone.