Disabled girl’s mum ‘plundered compensation to fund lavish life’

Money earmarked for Samantha Svendsen was allegedly pocketed by mother Cathy Watson and her now ex-husband Robert Hills and squandered on cars, jewellery, property and credit cards.

A jury heard the pair stole more then £500,000 from Watson’s daughter over an eight-year period.

Watson, 44, of Scunthorpe, who has since remarried, denies four offences of theft and one of transferring criminal property.

Hills, 49, of Grimsby, has already pleaded guilty to four theft offences, the court heard.

The court heard Samantha, 29, who was adopted by Hills after he and Watson married, suffered irreversible brain damage because of medical negligence and suffered from cerebral palsy.

She needed 24-hour care and after Grimsby and Scunthorpe Health Authority admitted liability compensation of 
£2.6m was awarded in December 1999.

The court heard £270,000 was given to Watson as payment for expenses she had already incurred and the remainder was paid to the Court Of Protection for the benefit of Samantha.

The pair were given £4,000 a month for household expenses to compensate them for not being able to work through providing full-time care.

But Katherine Robinson, prosecuting, told Doncaster Crown Court an analysis of spending patterns revealed that, between 1999 and 2004, £200,000 was spent by the couple on cars.

Almost £18,000 was spent on jewellery and from March 2000 to December 2001, more than £100,000 was spent on credit cards, she said.

Miss Robinson told the court a property in Cleethorpes, Lincs., which Watson had been renting, was bought in February 2000 for £22,487.

They were later given £213,000 from the fund after they suggested buying three properties including the one they had already bought.

That property was sold for £74,000 in November 2003, which was also spent, the court heard.

The court heard the Court of Protection agreed in March 2004 to provide further money to buy a villa in Florida and £235,000 was released into their joint accounts.

Miss Robinson told the court Hills admitted stealing £145,000 which was “simply spent”.

The couple later started divorce proceedings and the Florida villa plan was cancelled, she said.

Giving evidence yesterday, Hills told the court the couple were living beyond their means and the money was to “top up” their account.

Miss Robinson said: “You withdrew £56,195 (from the Court of Protection account) and paid it into your joint account... which was for a property you already owned and did not need to buy.”

Hills said: “At this stage we were living way beyond our means and this was to top up the account.

“When we got married internet banking had just started. And seeing all those zeros – we were in a state of disbelief. What do you do with all that money?

“We got used to having that money. If you have a budget of £200 a week and spend £30 it seems a lot.

“Then you’ve got £275,000, spend £10,000 and you don’t think anything of it.”

“We spent money on the house, cars, the children, holidays,” he added.

Later, Miss Robinson asked him: “Did you [and your wife] ever have conversations about the rights and wrongs of what you were doing?”

Hills repiled: “I don’t recall any such conversations.”

Hills admitted not returning £25,966 from part of the refund and Watson is accused of stealing her share of the refund, totalling £41,334.

Hills admitted stealing £137,950 from the proceeds of selling a property in Laceby, Lincs., and Watson is accused of stealing £145,000 from the sale of a nearby home. The prosecution claims that when accounts were examined, Watson was found to have withdrawn £31,708.

The trial against Watson continues.