Newark fraudster bought motorbike with elderly woman's life savings

Martin Sibcy used the victim's bank card in Skegness having travelled there using a motorcycle he had bought with her money

A man who stole an 80-year-old woman's life savings to buy luxury items including a motorcycle has been jailed.

Nottinghamshire Police said Martin Sibcy was entrusted with looking after her personal finances but abused that trust between December 2019 and September 2020.

The force said he "completely emptied" his victim's bank account.

Sibcy, of Wood Street, Newark, admitted theft and was jailed for 15 months at Nottingham Crown Court.

Police said the 54-year-old used the victim's bank card 66 times to withdraw £15,000 and pay for mobile phone bills, car insurance and broadband totalling more than £3,000.

Most of the cash was withdrawn near to his home, but in August 2020 he used the bank card in Skegness, Lincolnshire, having travelled there on a day trip using a motorbike he had bought and insured with the woman's money.

Sibcy stole a total of £18,403, which was discovered when the victim's direct debits paying for her residential care failed.

'Despicable' crime

The force said during police interviews, Sibcy claimed to have borrowed the money but the victim was unaware and had not got given her permission.

Sibcy also claimed the bank card he used must have been cloned, but investigations proved this was not the case and he was the only person with access to it.

Det Con Dan Weaver, a specialist fraud investigator with the force's economic and cyber crime unit, said: "This was a despicable crime in which Sibcy took advantage of a very vulnerable person and stole a significant amount of money.

"He completely emptied her bank account, which meant she was unable to pay her care fees.

"He did so for his own personal gain, including treating himself to luxury items."

The force added it hoped to use the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover funds to compensate the victim.