Shropshire Star

Fraud by daughter left me with nothing, says Telford man, 83

An 83-year-old Telford grandfather who was assaulted by his daughter after she pocketed £17,500 from his bank account said he had lost everything and had to rely on charitable donations to try to rebuild his life.

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Widower David Glass, who had lived at Charles Road, Arleston, Telford, was left in thousands of pounds worth of debt after his daughter, Davina Delo, had offered to help him with his finances following the death of his wife, Stafford Crown Court heard.

The 47-year-old plundered the pensioner's bank account over the space of three years.

She moved in to his home several years ago with her husband David Delo after the pair were evicted from their own home.

David and Davina Delo

Mr Daniel Oscroft, prosecuting, said while the couple lived in the property it became run down and squalid.

In June last year, the pair assaulted Mr Glass in the home following the funeral of Mrs Delo's son, Jamie Penn – the grandson of Mr Glass.

Mr Oscroft said: "By the time the assault took place on Mr Glass he was living in the kind of conditions no person was expected to endure. His home was inhabitable."

The court was told how the pair had punched and kicked him while he was on the floor, causing him to suffer lacerations to his face, as well as bruising and swelling, and the attack caused his tooth to become loose.

He was taken to Princess Royal Hospital where he received medical attention.

In a victim personal statement, read to the court by Mr Oscroft, Mr Glass said he had never been in debt before his daughter took over his finances.

He said he was left with just £5.60 in his bank account and thousands of pounds worth of debt.

The grandfather-of-six, who had worked at GKN Sankey for 40 years and was a press operator, had to accept donations from charity to rebuild his life after moving home and had lost his confidence.

Mr Glass said it had been "heart wrenching" to leave his home, but that it had smelled like a sewer at the end.

He said: "I've lost everything my wife and I worked hard for all of our lives.

"I've lost all my trust in human nature."

Mr Glass said he was hit 30 or 40 times as the pair kept "bashing away" at him while he was on the floor.

He said he needed extensive dental work after the assault and had his tooth removed.

Mr Glass's son-in-law Brian Poole said neighbours had alerted police following the assault, leading to the couple being arrested and further investigations revealed the fraud.

In a basis of plea, Davina Delo admitted the fraud amounted to £17,500.

Delo, now of Ivanhoe Street, Dudley, and David Delo, aged 43, now of Brook Street, Dudley, both admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Davina Delo also admitted fraud between May 2011 and June 2014. In mitigation, Mr Simeon Evans, said emotions were running high on the day of the assault and, on Davina Delo's behalf, it had not been fraud from the outset.

Davina Delo was jailed for six years and three months while her husband was handed a three-year and seven month prison sentence at Stafford Crown Court yesterday.

The pair were also handed restraining orders forbidding any contact with Mr Glass, who has since moved to another address.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Michael Chambers QC, said: "The circumstances of this case are truly shocking."

He said Mr Glass had been in a secure financial position before this happened and had two pensions with no debts.

Judge Chambers said Davina had exploited and defrauded the "vulnerable" pensioner from 2011 until her arrest.

"You took over his home and within a relatively short time his home descended into a most appalling and squalid state," he said.

He said Mr Glass was in such despair he had tried to commit suicide.

Following the sentencing, Mr Poole, who is married to Mr Glass's daughter Jayne, said: "Justice has been done.

"The judge highlighted how horrific this case was. He was quite right. He went through physical and mental abuse."

He said Mr Glass had been left with £5,700 worth of council tax arrears and was summoned to court over it.

The 56-year-old, of Telford, who thanked West Mercia Police, the community and military charity SSAFA who gave Mr Glass donations after the ordeal, added: "David had to move home and start a new life but it's a far better life. It has been horrific for the whole family. We've now got closure and can finally move on."

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