Woman stole grandmother's cash for toys and clothes

Adele Smith was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday

A woman who fraudulently transferred money from her grandmother's online bank account into her own at least 50 times has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Adele Smith, of Wordsworth Road in Radford, Nottingham, used the funds on takeaways, toys and clothes from Primark, as well as a family holiday her 78-year-old relative went on but did not know she had paid for.

The 32-year-old was found guilty of fraud by false representation following a trial on 2 December and was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday.

She was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.

She will also need to complete 200 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months and participate in 25 hours of rehabilitation appointments.

Nottinghamshire Police said Smith had set up her grandmother's account with her permission, but she had not consented to each transfer between 2 January 2019 and 29 June 2021.

'Taken advantage of'

The fraud was uncovered when the victim went to deposit money at the bank in July 2021.

While there, police said the woman asked about another account, which she expected to contain inheritance from her mother, and was told it was empty.

She was later refunded by her bank to cover the amount lost.

Det Con Nabeel Dad, who led the investigation, said: "The victim had trusted her granddaughter with her funds, and she was very sadly taken advantage of for a number of years.

"We're glad that we were able to bring Smith before the courts and I hope that she takes the time to make positive changes in her life."