A callous carer has been jailed for nine years for stealing more than £300,000 from a helpless 102-year-old woman and ordered to pay back the cash.
Edith Negus had meticulously looked after her money her entire life but her carer, Julie Sayles, 60, used her relationship to steal from her.
Sayles conned Negus after setting up a joint account with her as she knew the frugal pensioner had saved a substantial amount of money and then made payments totalling £287, 688 into the joint account from Mrs Negus’ savings
The ex-carer resided in Sewerby Road, Bridlington and worked for a charity providing social activities for the elderly in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
To add insult to injury Sayles also wrote herself into Ms Negus’ Will to attempt to steal the rest of her assets after her death in October 2014.
Sayles denied the offence but was eventually sentenced to five counts of fraud at Hull Crown Court in June 2017- two counts of concealing or converting criminal property, and one of making an article for use in fraud.
After she was found guilty following a trial, Sayles was jailed for nine years.
However, Sayles returned to the dock on the 30th August this year for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The Courts agreed that the total benefit from her criminal activity was £315,000.
It was confirmed in the courts that Sayles has £297,000 in her bank accounts but was told she had a month to pay it back to Ms Negus’s estate.
Sayles was given three months to repay the remaining £18,000 otherwise face another six months in prison.
During the trial, Negus’ family were sickened by Sayles’ actions and to hear her describe the money she had taken as a ‘donation’.
Mrs Sayles also took over Ms Negus’ funeral by making all the necessary arrangements herself and stopping her relatives from coming anywhere near the bungalow she planned to take hold of in the Will.
After stealing all of the pensioner’s life savings, wicked Sayles spent £125,000 on a house in Wiltshire and bought another house totalling £119,995 in Scarborough – both houses were solely in her name.
In a highly emotional statement, Ms Negus’s great-niece, Miss Ruthven said: “Edith Negus was a beautiful, kind, warm and loving woman who had many friends and family who loved her dearly.
“Edith would have been horrified that she has been associated with anything like this, and we stress that this is not how Edith should be remembered – she should be remembered for the long and very full life she led, and the lives she touched with her wonderful smile.”
