'Cynical in the extreme': Callous social worker lived life of luxury after plundering more than half a million pounds from vulnerable elderly victims in her care

A crooked social worker defrauded pensioners in her care out of more than half a million pounds which she spent on a lifestyle of luxury which included buying Rolex watches and spending on lavish holidays.

A judge told Hilary Tideswell her a offences were "cyncinal in the extreme" as she was jailed for seven years and nine months at Leeds Crown Court

Tideswell took preyed upon an 81-year-old woman who was suffering from dementia by illegally obtaining power of attorney without her knowing.

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She took advantage of the vulnerable woman after discovering she was ineligible for council funding as she had £500,000 in savings and a house.

Social worker Hilary Tideswell was jailed for deception worth more than half a million poundsSocial worker Hilary Tideswell was jailed for deception worth more than half a million pounds
Social worker Hilary Tideswell was jailed for deception worth more than half a million pounds

The 63-year-old defendant was able to obtain unrestricted access to the victim's bank account and also managed to sell her home in the village of Menston.

The Bradford Council care worker spent the stolen cash on lavish holidays and Rolex watches.

The court heard Tideswell went on to abuse her power by targeting another vulnerable male victim.

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Tideswell forged a will for him and obtained probate so she could manage his estate and transferred £27,372 into her own account.

Tideswell, of Slead Avenue, Brighouse, continued to exploit her position of power, allowing her son Neil Moorhouse, 42, to live in the woman's house rent-free, before selling the property when the stolen funds started dwindling.

Profits from the house sale were spent on a plot of land while some was used to pay off Tideswell’s outstanding debt.

When the Office of the Public Guardian began investigating, Tideswell tried to claim that all the payments were legitimate, even forging notes and insisting that the woman wanted to leave her money as a gift.

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Further investigation showed the payments, many of which were on frivolous items and paying off debts, had not been authorised and were of no benefit to the victim.

When interviewed, her then husband David Tideswell, 66, insisted he had no idea the money was fraudulent, despite the fact his wife had significantly more than her wage would provide.

Moorhouse insisted that his mother had told him to stay at the house and he didn’t want to argue with her.

He said that he had received money when the house was sold but that was a payment for the renovation work he had done on the property.

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When asked if he thought his mother was involved in something illicit, he admitted he had thought she might be as she was “swanning off on holiday a lot”.

Hilary Tideswell pleaded guilty to two offences of fraud and one of converting criminal property at a hearing on March 2 this year.

Her former husband and son were found guilty after a trial of converting criminal property.

David Tideswell, of Regent Road, Kirkheaton, Hudderfield, and Neil Moorhouse, of Benomley Crescent, Almondbury, Huddersfield, both received two-year suspended sentences and were ordered to do unpaid work

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Jailing Tideswell, Judge Simon Batiste said: "Your actions were cynical in the extreme, carefully thought out and planned and great efforts were made to hide your criminality.

"These were despicable crimes.

"Anyone with any shred of humanity would would be sickened and repulsed by them.

"You were happy to live a lifestyle way beyond your means by defrauding the very people you had responsibility for looking after.

"These were wicked offences you committed."

After the case, Kim Holden of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Tideswell was entrusted to care for some of the most vulnerable people in society and she used this power for her own selfish gain, taking over half-a-million pounds and spending it lavishly.

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“Tideswell forged notes in an effort to cover what she had done and her husband feigned he was unaware, but the prosecution was able to prove otherwise.

“Criminality of this nature represents an appalling abuse of trust and it is essential that offenders such as the Tideswells are brought to justice and dealt with accordingly.”