Laura Pilley jailed after stealing £46,000 from vulnerable and immobile couple

Laura Pilley has been sent to prison for three years after she stole thousands of pounds from the elderly couple in their eighties.

The 27-year-old was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court after admitting to targeting the elderly couple from Lymington after her mum got her a job caring for them.

The court heard how Pilley used credit cards belonging to Jeffrey and Gillian Thomas to withdraw cash which she then used for drugs, hotel rooms and even two quad bikes.

She did this with the help of her partner Luke Olding, 36, who also appeared in court to face two charges of fraud but received a suspended sentence.

Pilley became a part-time carer for the couple after her mother Linda, who was a neighbour to Mr and Mrs Thomas, had previously been checking on the pair regularly.

The court heard how after a while working for the couple Pilley asked if she could live with them as her partner, Olding, had kicked her out of their home and she had nowhere to go.

But Pilley and Olding, both of the same address in Nelson Close, New Milton, would stay at the house together regularly.

The court heard how police investigating the case discovered drug paraphernalia and books on witchcraft and blood on the bedsheets in the Thomas’ spare room where Pilley was staying and the floor was allegedly so bad that it had to be re-carpeted.

During their time of offending Pilley and Olding used the Thomas’ credit cards to buy two quad bikes for £1,198, which they then parked on the couple’s front drive.

The judge, James Watson QC, criticised Pilley, noting the victims were both immobile and vulnerable, needed daily care and had been friends of her family.

Mrs Thomas, who was in her early eighties, and registered blind, had been in hospital shortly before for a hip operation and suffered a bout of pneumonia.

Her husband, who is 88 years old, had also recently suffered two strokes and has dementia, the court heard.

Prosecutor Edward Elton said in early 2015 both Mr and Mrs Thomas spent periods in hospital and on returning home needed regular care.

Knowing her daughter was out of work and the Thomas’ required full-time care, Linda Pilley arranged for her daughter to visit the couple on a daily basis and act as their carer.

She was paid £200 a week by the Thomas’ daughter Alison.

The offences came to light in October 2015, Mr Elton said, when Barclaycard alerted Hampshire Police to £16,913 withdrawn from Mr Thomas’ credit card over an eight-week period between May and July last year.

In the previous decade the card was hardly ever used.

Investigations found withdrawals had been made using Nationwide, Sainsbury’s and Nat West bank cards belonging to Mr and Mrs Thomas for around five months.

Olding initially denied his involvement to any fraud but later admitted trying to use one of the Thomas’ credit cards when shown CCTV but claimed he had been given the card by Pilley and was unaware it was stolen.

PICTURED: Southampton Crown Court

Mr Elton said it had been agreed Pilley took a figure of between £40,000 and £47,000 from Mr and Mrs Thomas while she cared for them.

Records showed £150 of the Thomas’ money was spent on staying at the Lymington Premier inn, in Hordle, for a night.

The pair also forged cheques, with Olding unsuccessfully attempting to use one in Mr Thomas’ name to purchase £1,500 worth of items from Argos, the prosecutor said.

It was agreed that Olding’s overall benefit from Mr and Mrs Thomas was £1,449, Mr Elton added.

Pilley pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, possession of criminal property and theft. She had nine previous convictions for 15 offences, which included shop lifting, failing to comply with court orders and possessing a class A drug.

Olding amitted two counts of fraud and another matter of possessing criminal property. He has 18 previous convictions for 22 offences, including burglary, theft and being drunk and disorderly.

In a victim impact statement Mrs Thomas said the pair were “still in severe shock” adding: "We were both traumatised.

"We never imagined someone would have capitalised on our age and vulnerability.

“Laura Pilley initially appeared caring and helpful. She did not give us any cause to think she would be up to no good.

"But when our daughter moved back to her own home out of the area that all changed.

“She flies in the face of good ethical and moral behaviour. We are deeply upset over this whole situation and still are.

"This experience has left both me and my husband feeling more vulnerable and scared.

“We gave Laura Pilley the opportunity to earn money honestly and she took advantage of us.”

A probation officer told the court she had interviewed Pilley and the defendant told her at the time of offending she had been going through problems with her family and Olding.

Pilley said she spent £30,000 of the money she stole on drugs, having been clean for three years beforehand.

But she had relapsed and needed help as she was still spending up to £40 a day on crack cocaine as well as taking heroin regularly.

Defending Pilley, Susan Ridge said her client had brought shame on herself and her family and was very remorseful.

Pilley was given a 36-month prison sentence.

Olding was given a 34-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months as well as a nine-month drug rehabilitation order and a curfew order.

Judge Watson also ordered that Olding repay £1,449.98.

A confiscation order had been opened against Pilley ordering she repay £46,134, the court was told, but she had no means and an order was made for her to repay a “nominal amount” of £1.

The order states that should she come into money the case could be re-opened and she could be ordered to pay all of the amount.

The court was told the banks involved in the case has borne the loss suffered by Mr and Mrs Thomas so any money repaid would go to them.