Shropshire Star

Daughter who defrauded and assaulted Telford man has her jail sentence cut

A daughter who fleeced her own 82-year-old father out of £17,500, and kicked and punched him during a vicious attack at his home in Telford, has had her jail term cut.

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Davina Delo, 48, of Ivanhoe Street, Dudley, assumed control of her father David Glass's finances in 2009 after the death of his wife.

After she married David Joseph Delo, 44, they moved in with Mr Glass in Telford.

Between May 2011 and June 2014, she withdrew about £17,500 from his account, Mrs Justice Simler told London's Appeal Court yesterday.

She spent the money on herself and her husband, mostly on alcohol and cigarettes.

Her father's household bills went unpaid, resulting in utilities being cut off and large debts, and the house became "shoddy and squalid".

On June 12, 2014, a funeral and wake took place following the death of Davina Delo's young son, the judge said.

There was a disagreement between Mr Glass and his daughter and son-in-law and the older man went home.

After consuming alcohol the couple went home too and, after Mr Glass refused to let them back in, David Delo repeatedly punched the pensioner. Davina Delo then kicked her father to the face and head and, even after a neighbour helped him to his feet, she punched him once more.

Mr Glass left his home after the attack and went to live with another daughter.

He said he would "never recover" psychologically from what he had been put through.

Delo admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and fraud. She was locked up for 75 months at Shrewsbury Crown Court on August 26 last year.

The judge who jailed her described her crimes as "shocking" and pointed to the "systematic exploitation" of her "vulnerable" 82-year-old father.

But her lawyers argued her punishment was far too tough and three Appeal Court judges cut her sentence to 64 months.

Mrs Justice Simler, sitting with Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice William Davis, said the sentence for the fraud offence was too long.

David Delo had been jailed for 43 months after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Dismissing his appeal, the judge said his punishment was "severe" but "not excessive".

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