Elderly widow fleeced out of £500,000 by her 'greedy' carers, jury told

Three women are on trial accused of plotting to milk the wealthy pensioner by grotesquely inflating the cost of looking after her.

Prosecutor Stephen Wood told the jury the case was "all about greed".

Each of the defendants was responsible for caring for Audrey Hammond, now 92, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, Mr Wood said.

Mrs Hammond, who lived at Ings House in Cracoe, near Skipton, was a very wealthy woman now incapable of managing her own affairs.

Her late husband and family built up a considerable fortune as coal merchants, and she owned substantial interests in land and farms and fishing rights.

Mr Wood told the jury: "These defendants, together with others, to a greater or lesser extent, have breached the trust reposed in them to simply milk from her over half a million pounds by grossly over-claiming for the care work they carried out."

In the dock are Wendy Bell, 57, of Greenside Lane, Cullingworth; her daughter, Lisa Bell, 30, also of Greenside Lane; and Helen Banks, 42, of Howbeck Avenue, Riddlesden.

They deny conspiracy to defraud Mrs Hammond, between February 14, 2010, and September 25, 2012.

Wendy Bell pleads not guilty to two further fraud allegations.

The jury was told that Amanda Carroll, 44, of Park Avenue, Shipley, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two charges of fraud at an earlier hearing.

Linda Mynott, 60, of Garforth Road, Keighley; Caron Gilbert, 33, of Red Holt Crescent, Keighley, and Alice Barker, 59, of Raglan Avenue, Keighley, had admitted the conspiracy offence.

Alice Barker's husband, Edward Barker, 57, of Raglan Avenue, Keighley, was too ill to stand trial.

Marsha Girvan, 42, of Bank, Oxenhope, was cleared of the conspiracy charge before the start of the trial.

The prosecution has discontinued the case against Amanda Carroll's husband, Christopher Carroll, 43, of Park Avenue, Shipley.

Mr Wood said Mrs Hammond's declining health meant that by 2008, a power of attorney authorised her solicitor to write out cheques for her.

Her niece, Anne Murgatroyd, a retired nurse, was caring for her but extra help was needed.

Wendy Bell and Amanda Carroll began working for Mrs Hammond and they recruited family and friends to become her carers.

Mr Wood said the jury would have to decide if the defendants set about lining their own pockets.

He alleged none of the family or friends appointed as carers had any qualifications to provide care for a patient with Parkinson's disease. None was properly registered and none was checked out by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Lisa Bell allegedly turned up for a shift in full make-up, a mini skirt and high heels.

She fell asleep on another shift while sunbathing outside, it is claimed.

Mr Wood said Mrs Hammond's home was used as a base for a burger van business and computers were bought by staff.

He told the jury that over a period of three years, Wendy Bell received an overpayment of £138,620.

The court was told that in February 2012, community nurse Karen Burnett contacted North Yorkshire Social Services with concerns about Mrs Hammond's care.

The police became involved and, by September 2012, arrests were being made.

"By this time, the four weekly cost of care to Mrs Hammond, and being met by her, was a staggering £35,000," Mr Wood said.

He told the jury it was "preposterous" to imagine that the money was genuinely earned.

Mr Wood said the guilty pleas already entered by others in the case proved there was a criminal conspiracy to defraud Mrs Hammond.

He added: "There is now no doubt whatsoever that Mrs Hammond was subjected to a cruel and heartless fraud by the greedy. People she trusted to look after her betrayed that trust."

The first witness in the trial was Mrs Hammond's niece, retired nurse Anne Murgatroyd.

She told the court that her aunt had recently celebrated her 92nd birthday.

Mrs Murgatroyd was full-time carer for her aunt until her health deteriorated and she needed round-the-clock care.

Wendy Bell was employed to look after her at weekends and others were then recruited to help.

Mrs Murgatroyd said her aunt was "a very determined lady" but had become forgetful and confused.

She was a very private person who had always been careful with her money.

The trial continues.