Carer jailed for conning elderly stroke victim

Diaspora, Headlines, News — By on October 1, 2010 2:34 pm

A Zimbabwean care worker, who systematically manipulated the last years of a vulnerable UK pensioner in Worcester, has been jailed for two-and-a half years.

Nozizwe Mlotshwa was engaged by a care agency to look after 81-year-old Dennis Breakwell, who wanted to spend his final years at his home in Geneva Close, Northwick, instead of a residential home.

But in the next 17 months, the 44-year-old grandmother came close to stripping Mr. Breakwell of his assets, which were estimated at £350,000. Zimbabwe-born Mlotshwa, recently living in Manchester, was convicted at Hereford Crown Court on three counts of fraud by abuse of her position as a carer between April 2007 and August 2008.

Stefan Kolodinski, prosecuting, said Mr. Breakwell owned his home, worth £200,000 in 2006. He also had a pension of £1,200 a month and savings of £130,000. After a stroke, he asked to leave hospital and go home.

Mlotshwa became his carer at £700 a month and obtained power of attorney which gave her access to his accounts. She tried to use them as if they were own, said Mr. Kolodinski.

Mr. Breakwell’s bank became concerned by the number of large cheques being drawn on his account. At one stage, he had gone overdrawn, which was strange for a frugal man who had never taken a holiday.

On October 4, 2008, Mr. Breakwell was admitted to hospital and he died two days later. That day, £300 was withdrawn from his account and a similar sum was taken on October 8. Mr. Kolodinski submitted that he had been manipulated by a domineering and dishonest woman.

But Robert Rabe, defending, maintained that there had been no evidence in a change of lifestyle by Mlotshwa during the 17 months she had been in charge of Mr. Breakwell. She had not gone on foreign holidays or bought luxury goods. There was no complaint about the care he had received and she had developed a genuine friendship with him.

Neither police nor social services had found anything to concern them. She had cared for him properly so that he did not have to go into the care home he feared so much.

Sentencing Mlotshwa at Worcester Crown Court, Judge Daniel Peace-Higgins QC was told that the majority of Mr. Breakwell’s assets had been recovered although there were legal bills of £50,000.

She had taken advantage of an elderly stroke victim and made accusations against the care agency, staff, the bank and solicitors in order to deflect criticism from herself but all the allegations were unfounded. The majority of what she hoped to gain had been recovered.

After the hearing, Det Con Julie Williams, of south Worcestershire police, said Mlotshwa was a “professional criminal” who had convinced Mr. Breakwell to employ her directly, make her joint owner of his home and leave the property to her on his death.

“While crimes and investigations like this are extremely rare, it demonstrates just how a vulnerable and elderly person living on their own – and without immediate and local support and guidance from their family – can fall prey to someone like Mlotshwa who, we are convinced, is a professional criminal who was coldly and coolly intent on befriending and then defrauding her victim.” Worcester News

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