Heartless pair guilty of stealing savings of woman, 91

Lesley Reeve, 56, and husband Andrew, 55, spent all but £3,000 of her godmother Joan Killen’s £130,000 after the pensioner allowed him to become a signatory on her bank accounts.

The couple cleared debts, bought a car and spent thousands on electrical goods and presents for themselves, Teesside Crown Court has heard.

They also spent some of the cash on converting the garage of their home in Chichester Close, Hartlepool, into a wet room and gym, but told police the work was really to make it into a bedroom for “Aunty Joan”.

The couple maintained that story during the trial, claiming Miss Killen was “ecstatic” when they asked her to move in, and saying she had told them to spend her money how they liked.

Mr Reeve, giving evidence, claimed it was a coincidence that when police arrested the couple, the gym contained a treadmill and exercise ball, and maintained the conversion was intended for Miss Killen, who is still alive.

That story was rejected by the jury, who convicted them of stealing £95,000 in savings, and theft of rent money they made from getting a tenant to move into her property when she went into a care home after a fall.

Mrs Reeve, an unemployed oil company receptionist, collapsed to the floor and had to be helped from the dock when the first guilty verdict was returned and she was convicted of stealing £2,940 in pension payments.

The couple were cleared of stealing a winter fuel payment of £150.

While they were spending up to £2,500 of the godmother’s savings a week at one point in 2009, the Reeves, who have sons aged 27 and 24, were sending her a weekly allowance of just £9.13 when she was in the care home, the court heard.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Simon Bourne-Arton granted the couple bail to allow reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing.

Their sons sobbed in the public gallery when the guilty verdicts were returned.

While the Reeves spent tens of thousands on their family home, Miss Killen lived in a sparsely-decorated room in a care home.

One one occasion she asked for personal effects to be brought in, but when the Reeves failed to do so, a member of staff went out and bought her some ear-rings and a jewellery box.

The judge told the couple he would sentence them next month.