A Warrington mother and son have been sentenced after exploiting an elderly family member in a calculated fraud which saw thousands of pounds drained from her bank account without her permission.
Robbie Walkden, 36, and his mother Linda Walkden, 68, both of Perrins Road, Burtonwood, were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, October 7, after admitting conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
Robbie was jailed for two years, while Linda was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months.
The court heard how the pair rekindled their relationship with the victim in early 2023 and began visiting her regularly.
Linda helped the elderly woman with shopping and had access to her bank card. But from June 2023, purchases and cash withdrawals began being made using the card without the victim’s permission.
The situation became increasingly concerning when the victim stopped receiving her post in September 2023 and her bills began bouncing.
When her power of attorney contacted Linda about the problem, she falsely claimed the victim had been spending large amounts of money.
The extent of the fraud only became clear after the victim suffered falls and was admitted to hospital in March and April 2024.
During one period in hospital, £2,267 was taken from her bank account.
Hospital staff subsequently raised safeguarding concerns about Robbie and Linda, prompting the victim’s power of attorney to obtain bank statements.
These revealed that approximately £8,500 had been taken from the victim’s account, despite her having no access to her bank card and giving nobody permission to use it. The bank has since refunded the fraudulent transactions.
Investigators also discovered a payment to a company offering a service to redirect registered post. The victim’s bank statements had been diverted to a new address, with an associated email address and telephone number registered to Robbie.
Robbie had previously been jailed for fraud against the same victim in 2021.
The victim sadly died in June 2024, before the case reached its conclusion. Warrington police continued the investigation with support from her wider family.
The pair were arrested in July 2024. Linda claimed the victim had been an impulsive buyer who frequently shopped online, while Robbie admitted to some transactions but insisted they were not fraudulent and had been authorised.
Their explanations were subsequently disproved, and both were charged.
PC Lynskey, of the Warrington Area Investigation Team, said: “The two offenders exploited a vulnerable victim during the last years of her life.
“While she was sadly unable to see the outcome of this case, we hope her family can take comfort in knowing that those responsible have now been held accountable for their actions.”
