Newport wife who swindled £32k is spared jail
A woman from Newport who used bogus letters to withdraw £32,000 from her disabled husband's bank account was today spared prison.
Julie McCormack, 57, of Springhead Avenue, was given a four-month sentence suspended for 12 months when she appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
The court had previously heard that McCormack obtained the cash from accounts either in her husband Steven's name or in joint names.
She had previously admitted a total of eight charges of using a false instrument with the intention of it being accepted as genuine.
Three of the charges related to bogus letters submitted to Eastgate Financial Management Ltd, three to Scottish Mutual and two to Barclays Open Invest.
McCormack was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Peter Barrie, who heard the couple were now divorcing, said it was an unusual case with a lot of sadness and difficulty particularly for Mr McCormack who had a severe disability.
"I don't underestimate the difficulty that that caused you and contributed to looking after him," he said. "What your did in taking matters into your own hands and forging applications to withdraw money from Mr McCormack's sole or joint accounts was wrong."
He said there was no evidence that McCormack used the money for herself or for extravagance.
Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said that towards the end of 2009 Mr McCormack looked at the finances and saw that it was significantly lower than anticipated.
He told the court that over a nine-year period £32,000 was withdrawn.
"He wasn't aware of the money drawn and he wasn't taking receipt of the money."
Mr Michael Sherwood Smith, for McCormack, said it was his client's case that her husband over the years would simply not face up to the financial reality of running a fairly large house on what was a limited income.
He said the money had been used for everyday expense.
"She excepts that she was totally wrong to act in the way she did," he added.
