LLANELLI MAGISTRATES have committed a delivery driver from Kidwelly to be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to stealing money from a vulnerable pensioner
Dennis John Watkins, aged 38 of Ger y Castell, Kidwelly, pleaded guilty today (Jun 14) to stealing £3,500 from his victim, a housebound 75-year-old dementia sufferer who lived in Carmarthen at the time of Watkins’ offence.
Watkins told Police he had no debts and used the money to by alcohol and cigarettes.
Lisa Jones, prosecuting, said: “The victim, in this case, has significant health issues and is a 75-year-old woman who suffers with significant health issues. She has dementia and is totally immobile in her own home. Carers visit three times daily to assist her.
“The victim has no capacity whatsoever to understand what has taken place and is a vulnerable victim who suffers with physical and mental health.”
Ms Jones continued: “Police officers were called by a carer of the elderly victim who’d noticed receipts for large ATM cash withdrawals over a period of a few months. It was impossible for the complainant to undertake such transactions and the complainant was unable to say how the money had been removed. It was discovered that there was little money remaining in the account, £82 in fact
“Police viewed CCTV in a bank in Carmarthen and identified the accused. On every occasion, it was Mr Watkins. The transactions were made between January 23 and March 20 of this year. On March 23 it was established that the remaining balance of the victims account was £82.
“The victim has no idea of what has happened. It was revealed that a man had been calling who had delivered fruit and vegetables on a Tuesday, the victim would hand her credit card with pin number to pay for the groceries. The carer was suspicious of the food being ordered as the victim was provided with her meals everyday.
“During police interview Mr Watkins said he’d started delivering fruit and vegetable in the middle of last November with his brother-in-law. He’d sold his victim potatoes and other fruit and vegetables. He revealed that he would take cash or cheque payment normally.”
Ms Jones continued to lay bear the extent of Watkins’ callousness: “He admitted to police that he knew his elderly victim was alone and vulnerable and didn’t need all of the food that she ordered. She would ask for everything that she could get. He added that he knew it was wrong. When questioned he said he knew £3,500 was a lot of money and asked how he could pay it back. Mr Watkins stated that the most that his victim would spend in a week would be £90.
“The defendant revealed that he’d spent all the money, he was told that his victim had nothing left and replied to police that if he could give it back then he would. Mr Watkins has no debts or loans and spent all of the money on cigarettes and alcohol. He would give his victim small receipts for her purchases.
“This was a crime with pre-planning and he knew that the house was empty and he was dealing with a vulnerable victim. The money was all that she had. The complainant can’t give evidence in this case as she’s not aware of what has happened, it would cause her emotional distress. As I’ve stipulated, she’s totally reliant on carers. There is one conviction on record dating back to 2014 which is for driving with excess alcohol which resulted in a financially penalty.”
Richard Morgan representing Watkins said: “There is an early guilty plea from my client and full admissions to the police. This is entirely out of character. Mr Watkins partner has had a reduction in her money and he suffers with a heart condition and has a young child. I must concede, however, that this is case involving a highly vulnerable victim and this was also a breach of trust.”
After hearing the representations, Chair of the bench Jonathan C. Boreham said: “I’m adjourning this case for sentencing in Swansea Crown Court on June 28 at 9.30am. My sentencing powers are not sufficient to be able to deal with this matter here. Mr Watkins is not to contact his victim directly or indirectly or attend her address.”
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