Fraudster stole cash from life-long friend during Wolverhampton hospital stay

Jackie Pugh cashed in when Christine Botwood, the 68-year-old widow she had known for 45 years, had a mental breakdown after being released from hospital following two hip operations.

Mother of two Mrs Botwood, who lives in a flat in Finchfield, trusted the 51-year-old to such an extent that she gave the woman her bank card and pin number to buy essential items for her while she was a patient at Penn Hospital in Wolverhampton in August last year, the city's Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

But Pugh, a mother of three, spent £1,550 from the account in around two months on pub meals, petrol and shopping for herself and her family, it was disclosed.

Mrs Maggie Meakin told the court: "She had been given the card to buy essentials for Mrs Botwood but a short time later had started using it to draw money out to put petrol in her own car and the like." The scam was uncovered after Mrs Botwood's daughter had given flowers and chocolates as a 'thank you' to Pugh before discovering that her mother's regularly monthly bank statements were missing.

An internet check on the account revealed scores of unauthorised withdrawals and police were alerted, continued Mrs Meakin.

The prosecutor concluded: "The victim cannot get over the fact that somebody she loved and trusted could do this to her.."

Mr Raj Bassi, defending, said: "My client is extremely ashamed. She had been a friend of the complainant since the age of five and initially the intention was positive and decent. The defendant washed clothes for the complainant, cooked for her and visited her in hospital, as friends do, and they had been friends for 45 years. But by the end of August of last year she was using the card to take out money for herself and makes no effort to justify her behaviour."

Pugh from Pendrill Road, Bushbury, of previous good character, is now paying back the stolen money at £30-a-month, the court heard. She admitted fraud through false representation involving £1,552.77 between August 22 and October 28 last year. She was given a 12 week jail sentence suspended for a year along with a 16 week night time curfew. She was also ordered to pay £882,77 – the amount still not repaid from the crime – with a further £200 compensation.