Christopher Ward, 46, of Bridgeman Terrace in Wigan, has been sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for defrauding his retired in-laws out of thousands of pounds over a 13-month period. The court heard on Wednesday (October 28) how Ward committed a 'gross abuse of trust' against his own family members.
Ward had married his victims' daughter, Dawn, over a decade before the offences, and the couple had two children together. After moving his family into his in-laws' home, he left their lives 'turned upside down', the court was told.
Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered
Prosecutor Zahra Baqri told the court that in 2021 Ward and his wife, along with their youngest child, moved in with his in-laws after claiming they had been evicted from their rented property and needed assistance for a few days. Around spring 2022, Ward told his mother-in-law he was having problems securing a mortgage and spun a story about NatWest arranging to compensate his in-laws.
Ward told his mother-in-law that to get a mortgage application, he needed her bank cards and that she needed to change her current and joint accounts from Halifax to NatWest. Ms Baqri said: "Because of the defendant's financial instability and credit score, he was unable to make the application in his own name. Unfortunately for her, at that point alarm bells didn't start to ring. She felt comfortable with what was asked of her because she had known him for many years and he was part of the family."
Financial Drain and Discovery
Between April 2022 and May 2023, Ward raided his in-laws' bank accounts, occasionally topping them up to avoid overdrafts. In total, he stole £7,761 from his mother-in-law's current account and £9,891 from the joint account through bank transfers, shop purchases, and online shopping.
Ms Baqri said the victims had no access to their accounts during that time. The mother-in-law had to ask Ward to withdraw £200 each week for her food shop, believing the bank had custody of her cards. Her suspicions arose in March 2023 when Ward was unable to provide the money for her food shop, forcing her to sell a piece of jewellery to pay for it. In April 2023, she issued an ultimatum that she would approach NatWest herself, prompting Ward to confess.
As well as losing their savings, the couple discovered their bills had not been paid while Ward had their cards, leaving them £3,700 in arrears.
Impact and Sentencing
In a statement, the mother-in-law said: "This has had a detrimental impact on my life. I feel I don't know who I can trust any more. I can't even talk about it without getting upset. I feel my life has been turned upside down. This whole incident has sent both me and my husband into a downward spiral. Every time we think about the trust we placed in him that was abused, it brings us down."
Dan Gaskill, defending, said Ward's relationship with his wife and her parents had collapsed since the fraud, and that the background was "probably drinking and gambling." He noted Ward was now living in supported accommodation and had taken steps to address his alcohol addiction.
Mr Recorder Michael Armstrong sentenced Ward to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a 12-month probation requirement. Ward was also banned from contacting his former in-laws for 10 years. The judge said: "This was a very serious offence. It was a gross breach of trust. But I have seen the steps you have taken to get your life together and maintain your sobriety."
