Woman jailed after stealing £24k from her grandmother, 91, and blaming her being a 'big eater'
Amanda Farr, 48, blew the money on betting, takeaways, games and a holiday.
A finance worker has been jailed for stealing thousands of pounds from her 91-year-old grandmother and blaming it on her being a “big eater”.
Amanda Farr stole £24,069 from Joyce Hutchings and blew the money on betting, takeaways, games and a holiday.
When asked about the spending, the 48-year-old blamed her grandmother, claiming she was a "big eater" of oriental cuisine who "liked her food".
At Canterbury Crown Court last Friday, Farr was jailed for 18 months after a jury convicted her following a trial in February.
Farr made thousands of transactiode between December 2017 and September 2019, with some transfers totalling £1,800 each.
She spent it on iTunes, the Playstation Store, takeaways at JustEat and McDonald's, William Hill bets, and even a holiday to Amsterdam, the court heard.
As a result, the victim accrued large debts with energy and water companies, some of which exceeded £3,000.
Farr, who previously worked as an accountant, told the court the bank transfers were an above-board arrangement.
She claimed the family operated on a one-pot system where money was pooled but Ms Hutchings could spend up to £20 a week on sweet snacks, £180 sending her pet to "dog school" and £35 each time she had the animal walked.
But Farr was stealing her grandma's post and redirecting telecommunications from energy providers and the bank to defraud her.
She would also hide the stolen post under her bed to keep it from her grandmother, the court heard.
Farr, formerly of Croydon, south London, was arrested and charged with fraud in late 2019 and a jury unanimously convicted her this year.
Stewart Ross-Cumming, a financial investigator for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “Farr’s offending was simply callous and calculated with no consideration for the impact this was having on her victim.
“Nobody should think they can avoid justice when exploiting members of the public.”
A hearing to confiscate the stolen money will be held at a later date.
