Carer cleared of theft from old man

A carer said to have duped a frail pensioner out of hundreds of pounds after he became infatuated with her, has been cleared of stealing.

A Crown Court jury found mum of two Amanda Rix (48) from Middleton not guilty of four separate offences of theft after a trial.

The jury heard that widower John Hurst (80), virtually housebound after a stroke, had been persuaded to let Ms Rix take responsibility for his financial affairs and had opened a new bank account, for which he had given her the cash card and pin number.

The court alleged she had withdrawn £800 from ATM machines in Oldham over a period of 12 days.

The court had been told that Mr Hurst, of Sweetbriar Close, Shaw, then voiced concerns at her having the card, and police had been informed.

Ms Rix had been the pensioner’s carer from 2010 until February 2011, after he had broken his shoulder in a fall.

When he returned home from respite care he no longer needed help at home. Ms Rix continued to visit him unpaid.

The jury was told personal gain rather than helpfulness had been her motive.

But Rix of York Road East, Middleton, said she had acted out of concern for the pensioner — she had felt it unfair his home care had been removed.

As time went on, Mr Hurst constantly rang her asking her to visit him, and even asked her to move in with him.

She accepted she had withdrawn the money from Mr Hurst’s bank, but said it had been at his request, and all the money had been given to him.

Ms Rix said she eventually told Mr Hurst she would have to stop visiting him. “I thought his feelings for me were becoming too much.”