Fraud pair's victim left with £28k debt

A disabled pensioner who was conned out of tens of thousands of pounds by a Midlands couple is still having to pay off debts they ran up in her name.

Irene Simons is paying £200 a month towards a £28,000 remortgage which her carer, Helen Bailey, fraudulently took out in her name. Bailey, 36, of Rathbone Road, Smethwick, was jailed for 18 months by a Birmingham Crown Court in July after admitting false accounting, obtaining a money transfer by deception and possessing criminal property.

Bailey falsified the 62-year-old's signature on a mortgage application for the house in Shaftmoor Lane, Acocks Green, Birmingham.

Mrs Simon is still saddled with the mortgage repayments, according to her sister, Jennifer McLaughlin.

"The police and the Crown Prosecution Service have got in touch with the bank and we are just waiting to hear back," said Mrs McLaughlin , aged 56, also of Shaftmoor Lane.

"They pleaded guilty, they put their hands up to it and said they had the money, so Irene shouldn't be held responsible for that. Her repayments are £200 a month." Bailey and her husband Paul were arrested in 2007 after concerns were raised by Mrs McLaughlin.

It was discovered that Helen Bailey had falsified Mrs Simons' signature on a mortgage application, leav-ing her with a debt of almost £28,000. She also falsified time sheet documents in the name of her husband who was paid £36,000 between 2003 and 2006.

Paul Bailey, aged 38, was given a 12 month sentence which was suspended for two years after he pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing criminal property

He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.