An “out of control” addict splashed out on online gambling, cocaine and takeaways as she stole more than £75,000 from a trusting elderly couple while working as their carer.
Rebecca Fidler, 34, was tasked with providing extensive help through a private company to former Dumfriesshire couple Bill and Annie Gass when her offending occurred between September, 2019 and April, 2021.
Her duties included cooking, cleaning, shopping, along with personal care and hygiene.
The couple, who lived in Carlisle, found Fidler extremely helpful and liked her, prosecutor Brendan Burke told the city’s crown court.
But “unhappily”, he said, Fidler was also given their bank card to make pension payment withdrawals and effectively cleaned out their entire life savings.
During “sophisticated” attempts to cover her tracks, she initially moved money within the victims’ accounts before transferring it into one in her own maiden name of Armstrong.
Online references stated “cleaning” and “shopping” as she made dishonest transactions often several times a day with the cash splashed on gambling, cocaine and takeaway food.
Fidler took other desperate steps to try keep her thefts from the elderly couple, who had “no inkling” she’d been stealing from her. They were ultimately “devastated” to learn Fidler had taken £75,287, leaving them with only around £2,000.
Referring to a statement provided by Mr Gass — originally from Annan — before his death in December from Covid-19 at the age of 96, Mr Burke said: “Both of them said they had nothing to live for and asked how could they afford to survive.”
Accepting the suspicious transactions should have been picked up earlier, the bank had since partly reimbursed the couple.
Mrs Gass, 91 and originally from Dumfries, watched over a video link from home as Fidler was sentenced by a judge after admitting theft. Defence lawyer Andrew Evans said Fidler was remorseful, had no previous criminal convictions and told a probation officer she was deeply terrified by the prospect of prison.
“She believes her behaviour is fully deserving of such a sentence,” said Mr Evans. “Had this been done to her parents, she would have wanted the perpetrator to go to prison.”
Mr Evans said mum-of-three Fidler, from Holywell Crescent, Carlisle, also had an undiagnosed and poorly managed bipolar disorder and suggested community support would best benefit her and the public at large.
But Recorder Julian Shaw imposed an immediate 30-month jail term for what he called a “dreadful offence”.
“Mr Gass did not live to see the outcome. Mrs Gass now has to manage as best she can with what she has left.”
