LYNN HUNTER

WIFE STEALS £4,500 FROM GRAVELY ILL HUSBAND AND FACES SUSPENDED SENTENCE

A woman pretended to be her husband and withdrew thousands of pounds worth of his cash – as he lay seriously ill after suffering a stroke.

Lynn Hunter, of Heath Close in Chickenley, pleaded guilty to committing fraud by false representation.

She used her husband's online Halifax account to transfer money to her own account and used his bank card to withdraw cash, all while he was hospitalized following a stroke and was later moved to a care home.

The court was told that Hunter was confronted by family members about the suspicious withdrawals.

She initially denied dishonesty but then changed her plea to guilty on the day of her trial.

Hunter was sentenced to a 16-week suspended sentence and will have to abide by a 56-day curfew.

Due to her financial difficulties, she will only be required to repay £1,000 of the estimated £4,500 stolen from her husband.

Judge Wajeed Khalil described her actions as “quite despicable” and the “ultimate betrayal and breach of trust,” citing that she took advantage of her husband's vulnerability, who was in hospital and unable to communicate at the time.