March: Carer Jailed For Stealing From Stroke Victim

19 February 2013, 16:31 | Updated: 19 February 2013, 16:39

A carer who stole nearly £6,000 from a stroke victim's savings account has been jailed for a year.

59 year old Joseph Okeowo from Juniper Crescent in London, stole a total of £5,900 over 12 separate occasions between 2010 and 2011. He had been working as a live-in carer for a 56 year old man at his home in Abbeygate Court in March. 

The victim suffers from severe short-term memory loss as a result of the stroke. A fellow carer raised the alarm after spotting the cash missing from the victim's account. 

Okeowo was arrested but skipped bail and fled the country in November 2011. He was arrested at Heathrow in October last year. He was charged with 13 counts of fraud by abuse of position, two counts of failing to answer bail and one count of fraud by false representation where he failed to disclose previous convictions in 2009 in order to gain employment. He admitted all counts and was jailed for 12 months at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday the 15th of February. The court heard he had recently paid £3,000 back to the victim. 

Detective Constable Tade Toseland said: "This was a huge breach of trust by someone who was supposed to be caring for the victim and actually protecting his financial interests. "He was given the victim's savings book in order to withdraw money to pay for groceries and bills, but he abused the trust placed in him by taking money for himself. "The victim relied on his savings to pay for holidays, but Okeowo's actions mean he can no longer afford them."