A HEARTLESS carer stole almost £20,000 from a 92-year-old woman who considered him a close friend.

Richard Welch has been jailed after withdrawing money from the pensioner’s account between April 2019 and October 2020 while he was caring for her in Colchester.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the 41-year-old was snatching the cash from the now 95-year-old in a bid to fix his failing relationship with his wife.

But in doing so 114 unauthorised transactions worth £19,160 were made from the housebound victim’s account while she trusted Welch to use her debit card to shop for her.

Welch, of The Cross, Wivenhoe, admitted fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to two years and two months imprisonment on Monday.

Gazette: Jailed - Richard WelchJailed - Richard Welch

She trusted him to withdraw £400 a month for her shopping, however he began taking excess money over a period of 18 months.

On one occasion, Welch sent £6,000 from her savings to her current account so he could keep on snatching money from her, the court heard.

“In late 2020 Natwest froze her account. Her friend came over to help find out what was going on. They discovered there had been this period of unauthorised transactions which had taken place,” said Mr Judge.

Charles Judge, mitigating, said Welch had cared for his victim for about four years as her elderly age left her frail and unable to leave her Colchester bungalow or carry out most household tasks.

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“She had monthly paper bank statements sent to her address but when all of this arose efforts were made to find them but only one was found.”

A victim impact statement read to the court stated: “I felt sad as I enjoy his company; I consider him my friend as well as my carer."

Evelyn Hicks, mitigating, told the court Welch was at a “low ebb” and “he was taking money and using it to try to win his wife back” as their relationship deteriorated.

She added £3,650 had been repaid to the victim.

Recorder Sarah Przybylska lambasted Welch for his “shameful behaviour” and ordered him to repay the remaining £15,510 he owes within three years.