A woman who stole more than £70,000 from her elderly mother has been jailed

Police launched an investigation after concerns were raised by Norfolk Social Services in relation to failed payments for her mother’s care

Author: Iona Stewart-RichardsonPublished 14th Nov 2021
Last updated 14th Nov 2021

A woman from Stoke Holy Cross, who took more than £70,000 of her mother’s money has been sentenced to two years in jail.

59-year-old Jane Fincham, of Chet Close, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday (10 November 2021) after pleading guilty to fraud by abuse of position at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that between 25 February 2019 and 8 September 2020 Fincham had made fraudulent transactions totalling £71, 526.95 from her elderly mother’s bank account to her own. During this time, Fincham was acting as Power of Attorney over her mother’s finances after she was diagnosed with dementia.

Police launched an investigation after concerns were raised by Norfolk Social Services in relation to failed payments for her mother’s care.

Fincham was interviewed voluntarily at Swaffham Police Station in May where she admitted to spending the money on two cars and moving house. She told officers it was nice having money to spend and described herself as “a bit like a kid in a sweetshop”.

Detective Constable Gemma Weeks from Norfolk Constabulary’s Adult Abuse Investigation Unit (AAIU) said:

“Fincham has abused her role as Power of Attorney, taking large sums of money for personal gain, instead of making decisions in her mother’s best interests.”