Carer denies £225,000 fraud of 100-year-old woman

A carer accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from a 100-year-old was "completely transparent" about what the cash was for, a court has heard.

Rhian Horsey, 55, is accused of defrauding Iris Sansom while employed as her carer between 2011 and 2017.

Jodie-Jane Hitchcock, defending, told Cardiff Crown Court that Mrs Horsey legitimately withdrew money, with Mrs Sansom's knowledge.

Mrs Horsey, of Pontyclun, denies seven counts of fraud totalling £226,300.

The court was told Mrs Horsey withdrew money to pay her wages, bills, as well as for shopping and gardening.

Ms Hitchcock told the court that details of an equity release plan had been sent to Mrs Sansom's solicitor.

"It's not a secret squirrel exercise between Mrs Horsey and Mrs Sansom," she said.

"How does that fit with the theory of deception? It doesn't."

The jury heard that Mrs Horsey accepted she withdrew cash from Mrs Sansom's accounts.

Ms Hitchcock said: "Why use cheques? Why set up a paper trail if Mrs Horsey has access to that money regardless?"

The court heard Mrs Horsey made several withdrawals from Mrs Sansom's building society savings account.

The money was transferred to a bank account and withdrawn over the counter and from cash machines.

The jury heard Mrs Sansom was "capable and independent" and if she wanted to have her cash at home, that was "her prerogative," Ms Hitchcock said.

Mrs Horsey told the court that having money at home was how Mrs Sansom lived.

"It wasn't for me to question and, in fact, if I had, she wouldn't have listened," she said.

The jury was shown a pre-recorded video interview with Mrs Sansom, which took place in 2017, in which she said she was "not very good with money matters".

Earlier, the court heard Mrs Horsey treated herself to expensive luxury holidays, including cruises, during the period the money was withdrawn.

She denied those types of holidays were out of the ordinary and said it was "something we have always done".

The prosecution claim Mrs Horsey exploited Mrs Sansom's vulnerability.

"The nature of the relationship was one of trust," said prosecuting counsel James Wilson.

"Iris Sansom trusted Rhian Horsey completely."

The trial continues.