Housekeeper Sentenced for Fraud Against Elderly

A housekeeper from Hemel Hempstead was sentenced on Tuesday 23 June after pocketing thousands of pounds from elderly victims.

Emma Johnson, age 39, of Turners Hill, admitted 13 counts of fraud against vulnerable care home residents.

St Albans Crown Court heard that she had worked at Queensway residential care home in Jupiter Drive in Hemel Hempstead from March 2016, where she deceived a number of residents as well as people known to her.

Detective Constable James Milbourn from the Safeguarding Adults from Abuse (SAFA) team said: ‘Johnson used bank cards and ordered thousands of pounds worth of personal items including perfumes and takeaways, which were delivered to her home address in Hemel. She also paid her utility bills using other people’s credit cards. She mainly targeted elderly and vulnerable people but she also used cards belonging to her colleagues in the care home.’

Between June 21 and June 29, 2018, a vulnerable 89-year-old woman had been in a care home whilst her family were on holiday. During this time, her bank card had been used to make purchases in excess of £2,800. The victim was still in possession of her bank card. When her family noticed the unexplained transactions, they reported it to police.

Officers from the SAFA team investigated and carried out a warrant in September 2018 and during their investigation, it became clear that she had accessed personal information from victims’ bank cards and identity documents. They worked with financial investigators, banks, social services and the care home manager.

She was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment suspended for two years, for the multiple fraud by false representation offences at St Albans Crown Court. She was also given an electronic curfew for three months and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.

If you believe you have been the victim or know a victim of fraud you can contact the Action Fraud online https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or call 0300 123 2040. You can also contact Hertfordshire Constabulary on the non-emergency number 101 for advice. Alternatively peport information online at www.herts.police.uk/Report or you can speak to an operator in the Force Communications Room via online web chat, which can be launched here: www.herts.police.uk/Contact.