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A woman has been jailed for stealing £80,000 ($219,000) from her mother who sold up her home in New Zealand to be nearer her daughter in the UK.
Care worker Kim Goffin was jailed for two-and-a-half-years in Plymouth Crown Court yesterday after a judge heard how her mother Patricia Williams was left heartbroken and penniless.
Widow Mrs Williams, 67, moved back to Britain from New Zealand so she could be closer to her daughter and her three grandchildren.
The court was told Goffin, 47, offered to help her mother shop online and then used the information to empty her internet bank account.
She got through more than £80,000 in just 17 months and spent much of the cash buying designer clothes and splashing out on holidays.
Jo Martin, prosecuting, said Mrs Williams gave her daughter details of her bank account so she could shop online for her with Tesco Direct.
She withdrew large amounts including £10,900 in one 10 day period alone.
Ms Martin read a victim impact statement from Mrs Williams which detailed the distress she has suffered.
She said: "Mrs Williams told of her devastation that the person who stole her money was her own daughter and she had found it very hard to report it to the police.
"She said,'I have lost my life savings and my family. My life has been completely torn apart and my daughter has not shown any consideration towards me and has left me with nothing.
"'She has made no effort to communicate with me other than one letter. She completely abused my trust and she should pay the consequences of the crime'."
Divorced mother of three Goffin, of Plymouth, admitted seven deceptions and asked for 30 more to be taken into consideration.
Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, said Goffin raised almost £50,000 by selling her home after she was caught and promised to repay her mother but only paid over £20,000 and hid or spent the rest.
He said: "This was rampant and flagrant dishonesty and only an immediate prison sentence can be justified.
"You stole all you mother's savings and in effect left her penniless. I simply do not believe you spent this money on necessities for yourself and your three children.
"Your mother was devastated that a daughter she loved and trusted could have treated her in such a way.
"She is now suffering from depression and living in rented accommodation and is reliant on benefits and is no longer independent financially."
- NZPA
