A Gloucestershire man has been sentenced after stealing more than £50,000 from a vulnerable pensioner whose finances he was trusted to manage. Peter Bond, 75, of Stroud, abused the confidence placed in him by his partner’s elderly father, Brian Woollet, to fraudulently divert tens of thousands of pounds for his personal use.
Bond appeared at Swindon Crown Court on January 15, where he received a suspended two-year prison sentence for fraud by abuse of position. The offences took place between April 2016 and December 2022.
The court learned that in April 2021, Brian Woollet, who was living in a private care facility, granted Bond access to his bank accounts, including his current account, checkbook, debit card, and internet banking. However, concerns arose in December 2020 when the victim’s grandson was asked to sell the pensioner’s car to purchase funeral insurance. Upon examining bank records, the grandson discovered unauthorized transactions exceeding £30,000.
READ MORE: Partial Closure of Noverton Lane in Cheltenham Scheduled for February Repairs
READ MORE: Amanda Owen Shares Challenging Update on Anty John’s Farmhouse Renovation
Confronted with the evidence, Bond claimed the victim had consented to his use of the funds. However, following intervention by the victim’s family, Bond was asked to leave and the matter was reported to Gloucestershire Police.
The Economic Crime Team’s investigation confirmed that Bond had illicitly gained £52,391.27 from Woollet’s accounts, spending the money on lifestyle luxuries such as a personalised car number plate and attending the Silverstone Grand Prix.
Tragically, Brian Woollet passed away in June 2023 at the age of 89, never learning the outcome of the court case. In a poignant Victim Personal Statement, the grandson described the victim’s anguish, shame, and loss of financial security, which caused profound emotional distress for both the pensioner and his family.
“The impact of this crime was profound. It left a proud man anxious, embarrassed that this could have happened to him and deeply ashamed to have been a victim to this crime,” the statement read. “He deserved dignity, security, and peace in his final years. Instead, he was left distressed and without the financial stability he and my grandmother had worked their entire lives to achieve.”
The family expressed their gratitude to the police and Crown Prosecution Service for their efforts and emphasized the importance of raising awareness to prevent similar cases in the future.
Police Officer PSI Chakraborty, leading the investigation, condemned Bond’s actions as a betrayal of trust. “Bond committed a despicable crime against a vulnerable man who trusted him. Although Brian sadly did not live to see justice done, this conviction brings some closure to his family,” the officer said.
This case highlights the critical need for vigilance and robust safeguards to protect vulnerable people from financial abuse.