Ex-PC defrauded housebound widow of £18k

The woman lived in the Dartmouth area

A former police officer swindled a housebound elderly widow with dementia out of more than £18,000.

Ex-PC Sam Smith assessed retired international banker Christina McGrath as highly vulnerable after making a welfare check at her £1m six-bed home in Dartmouth in November 2019.

He then secretly visited the 81-year-old and after seeing a bank statement revealing she had £170,000, used three of her bank cards to order high value goods, including a 65-inch TV and computers, Exeter Crown Court heard.

Smith, formerly of Devon and Cornwall Police, admitted eight counts of fraud totalling £18,276 earlier and was jailed for 20 months.

'Incredibly vulnerable'

The court heard Mrs McGrath was a refugee from Belarus who fled communism and worked her way up from a cleaner at a bank in London to international banker.

Her husband died in 2001 and she had arranged for her estate to be set up as a trust to help young musicians and marine engineers after she died.

Prosecutor Emily Pitts said Mrs McGrath, who died in November 2020, was in serious and deteriorating ill health when Smith checked on her in November 2019.

"The victim was extremely vulnerable and was targeted for that reason. There was an abuse of a position of power over an incredibly vulnerable victim," she said.

'Appalling crimes'

The court heard Smith made eight purchases in Mrs McGrath's name between March and August 2020, including one made after he had been interviewed by senior officers.

He had also set up an e-mail account in her name which he used in the online purchases he made with her cards.

An investigation by the police’s anti-corruption unit showed he made ten visits while on duty and another officer became suspicious after finding his name, address, and date of birth on a document at Mrs McGrath’s home, the court was told.

Smith resigned from the force in July this year. In addition to the prison sentence, the 31-year-old, of Long Lane, London, was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £149.

Paul Dentith, mitigating, said the defendant had genuine concerns for Mrs McGrath but then fell foul of temptation.

Supt Jo Arundale, the force's head of professional standards, said the offences were "appalling crimes involving a vulnerable victim".

“I can reassure the public that the overwhelming majority of our officers and staff work diligently to help to keep the public safe, uphold our high standards and provide an exceptional service to our communities," she added.