Hereford Woman stole at least £18,000 from her blind vulnerable mother

[Hereford Voice 88]

An 87 year old vulnerable lady had nearly £40,000 stolen from her bank account including money taken from an ISA savings and also from her insurance funeral plan.

Nicola Jane James aged 52 from Pixley Walk, Newton Farm Hereford was charged with two counts of theft but only pleaded guilty to one charge of a smaller amount of £18,000 and was prepared to put her frail 87 year old partially sighted mother through a long court case.

 
Nicola James

The elderly victims other children were not prepared to put their mum though anymore upset and anguish which has had a massive impact on her health and wellbeing and on the rest of the family as a whole, the Police and CPS shared the same view.

Judge Jim Tindal told James that she was a predatory and astonishingly selfish individual and she had shown no empathy to her mother as he sentenced her to 12 months in prison, which was suspended for two years as she had no previous convictions and she was also told she must repay the bank in full.

James's elderly mother had expressed that even though her daughter had stolen from her, she felt that she should receive some sort of punishment in recognition of her actions, but she did not want her daughter to go to prison, which the court took into account when passing sentence.

The Judge also ordered James to take part in 10 day rehabilitation activity to help her address her significant gambling addiction.

 

[Paul Jones 387]

So just a slap on the wrist then...

Poor sentencing like this really boils my pi*%! 

[ragwert 386]

As a friend of mine said, If this was a Man he would have been jailed.

[Frank Smith 385]

I feel sorry for the family and the shame she has brought on them too. I hope her mother can get over this terrible upset in her golden years.

[Bill Thomas 545]

Our thoughts are with the victim and family.

I have my own words to describe this criminal but I will probably get banned if I use them.