‘Callous’ finance worker jailed for stealing thousands of pounds from her own 91-year-old grandmother to spend on holidays and McDonald’s – plunging the pensioner into debt
- Amanda Farr stole a more than £24,000 from her grandmother Joyce Hutchings
- When quizzed about her lavish spending, she blamed her grandmother
- Farr was jailed for 18 months after being convicted by a jury following a trial
A ‘callous’ finance worker has been jailed for stealing thousands of pounds from her own grandmother to spend on holidays and McDonald’s, plunging the 91-year-old pensioner into debt.
Amanda Farr stole more than £24,000 from Joyce Hutchings and spent the money on iTunes, the Playstation Store, takeaways, William Hill bets, and even a trip to Amsterdam.
When quizzed about her lavish spending, the 48-year-old blamed her grandmother, claiming she was a ‘big eater’ of oriental cuisine who ‘liked her food’.
In thousands of transactions made over two years, Farr intercepted a total of £24,069, with some transfers totalling £1,800 each.
As a result, Ms Hutchings accrued large debts with energy and water companies, some of which amounted to £3,000. Debt collection agencies were even forced to get involved and applications for recovery warrants were made.
Amanda Farr (pictured) has been jailed for stealing thousands of pounds from her own 91-year-old grandmother
At Canterbury Crown Court last Friday, Farr was jailed for 18 months after she was convicted by a jury at the end of her trial.
Farr, who previously worked as an accountant, told the court the bank transfers were an above-board arrangement made because of her grandmother’s love for food.
She claimed the family operated on a one-pot system where money was pooled together but Ms Hutchings could spend up to £20 a week on sweet snacks, £180 on sending her pet to ‘dog school’ and £35 each time she had it taken on walks.
However, in reality, Farr was stealing her grandmother’s post and hiding it under her bed to defraud her.
Energy providers and the bank would write letters to Ms Hutchings but Farr would intercept the post and redirect the correspondence to her own number.
One of Farr’s electronic devices even contained a calendar noting the dates her grandmother’s pension was paid to her account.
Between December 2017 and September 2019, Farr stole so much money that the victim became mired in debts to energy and water companies.
Prosecutor Kieran Brand told the court: ‘There was no arrangement for you to take over the family finances and there was no discussion with Joyce about what you were doing with her money.’
Farr replied under cross-examination: ‘Yes there was.’
Mr Brand added: ‘Which is why you were trying to cover your tracks. You were intercepting her and your mother’s post, you intercepted the post didn’t you?
At Canterbury Crown Court (pictured) last Friday, Farr was jailed for 18 months after she was convicted by a jury following a trial
Farr (pictured) was stealing her grandmother’s post and hiding it under her bed to defraud her
‘You were hiding [the bills] weren’t you? Because you were spending money on holidays and gambling. Which is why [the bills] were tucked away under your bed.’
Farr responded: ‘No, it wasn’t under my bed.’
Farr, formerly of Croydon, south London, was arrested and charged with fraud in late 2019.
Around three-and-half years later, she pleaded not guilty but a jury unanimously convicted her at Canterbury Crown Court.
Stewart Ross-Cumming, a financial investigator for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said yesterday: ‘The sentencing of Amanda Farr is a testament to the hard work of law enforcement and outside agencies in relentlessly pursuing and disrupting those who exploit vulnerable members of the public.
‘Farr’s offending was simply callous and calculated with no consideration for the impact this was having on her victim. Nobody should think they can avoid justice when exploiting members of the public.
‘Kent Police was determined that justice was sought and the sentence now handed down reflects the impact of this offending.’
A hearing to confiscate the stolen money will be held at a later date.
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