A woman entrusted with managing her mother's finances has been convicted of fraud after treating the money as if it were her own. Shirley Williams, 55, made unauthorised purchases with her mother's money, including paying for Netflix subscriptions and shopping online with Ocado, and transferred funds from her mother's accounts into her own.
Court Proceedings and Verdict
Williams denied any dishonesty, insisting she always acted in her mother's best interests. However, after deliberating for five minutes short of ten hours, a jury at Swansea Crown Court convicted her of three of the five fraud charges she faced. She was acquitted of the remaining two counts. Sentencing has been adjourned to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
The court previously heard that Williams's father had handled all financial matters in the marriage until his death, after which Williams took over responsibility. She was later granted power of attorney regarding her mother.
Prosecution Case and Family Concerns
The prosecution argued there was a "blurring of the lines" between the defendant's money and her mother's, and that Williams treated her mother's bank accounts and money "as if it were her own." Prosecution barrister Harry Dickens said it was accepted that not all transactions were fraudulent, but some were, and he described the defendant as "a liar and an opportunist" who "used her mother's money without consent."
The court heard that concerns were first raised in 2017 when the victim, then in her 70s, moved from Kent to west Wales. When Williams's sister, Wendy, took their mother clothes shopping, her card was declined due to insufficient funds. Paper statements were later requested from the bank, and the sisters reviewed them with highlighter pens, marking suspicious activity.
Defence and Sentencing
In her evidence, Williams denied any wrongdoing, claiming the Ocado purchases were groceries for her mother and the PayPal transactions were for items her mother had requested. She also said her mother had been watching Netflix via a Fire TV Stick, and that the transfers between accounts were to seek better interest rates. Williams's barrister, Jon Tarrant, told the court there was "obvious animosity" between the sisters.
Shirley Williams, of Trevaughan, Whitland, Carmarthen, has no previous convictions. Judge Christopher Vosper KC adjourned sentencing to November 2 and ordered a pre-sentence report. Williams was bailed to return to court on that date.
