07 January 2024 , 20:51
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A conniving carer pretended to look for a widower's lost wedding ring, but had already removed it from his hand whilst the man was sleeping. Arthur Hughes encountered Emma Skinner as an agency worker at his care home, where she had been working for just a week before pinching his jewellery item.
In addition, she nicked a gold signet ring which the 86-year-old dementia patient had inherited from his late father. The theft happened just a few days after his wife of 60 years had died, and the mum "wickedly" slipped the rings from his finger whilst sleeping, the Liverpool Echo reports.
On Friday, Liverpool Crown Court heard that the pensioner had been taken to the Beeches in Maghull on February 18 2022 after being in hospital, and then his wife died five days later on February 23. Prosecutor Cecilia Pritchard described how Skinner, of Thackray Road in St Helens, had been employed at the home as an agency carer when, at around 11am on February 26, Mr Hughes returned to his bedroom for a rest.
Several minutes later, the 42-year-old defendant arrived and took two gold rings from the fingers of his left hand as he lay sleeping in bed - one was his wedding ring, and the other was a signet ring passed down to him by his dad, and which was more than seventy years old.
Liverpool Crown Court (Liverpool Echo)Her victim's "light sleep" was said to have been disturbed by the theft, but he reported that he felt "too scared" to open his eyes. Mr Hughes told staff and family members about the incident.
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CCTV footage showed that Skinner had been the "only person who entered his room". However, the mother-of-four, has no previous convictions and continued to deny responsibility, stating that formerly he had been known to "flush items down the toilet".
After her shift, she visited Gibneys Jewellers in St Helens town centre and sold the rings for £165 - claiming that she had "found them down the back of a sofa". They were subsequently "melted down" and so were unable to be recovered. Mr Hughes. a retired lorry driver, told police officers in a statement that the rings "meant more than the world to him". Tragically he died nine months later in the autumn of 2022.
Mr Hughes' son Steven read a statement to the court, in which he said of his dad's move into the residential home: "My father was always an independent and active man. This decision was heart-breaking." He described how he had visited his father shortly after the theft and found him in "great distress" and saying "some b*****d has stolen my rings". Mr Hughes added: "I've never seen my father without his rings. I remember seeing my father sitting in his chair looking at his hands, and he went quiet. I felt so helpless.
"I didn't know what to say to him. I couldn't really voice my anger. Looking back at how she helped with the search made me feel angry and incensed. The thing that hurt me the most was seeing how my hero, who I'd looked up to all my life, was a shattered and broken man.
"This incident had such a devastated effect on his life. I was in total shock that this could happen. I felt I had let him down putting him in this position. He went to his grave without this most precious item he had had for 60 years of his marriage - his rings meant so much to him. This incident has left our family totally devastated. I can't get out of my mind my father being so scared."
Mr Hughes was said to have barricaded the door to his room with furniture in order to prevent any further thefts in the aftermath of the incident, with his son's statement adding: "The history you have stolen cannot be replaced. I had to watch a distraught man worry about the loss of his ring instead of grieving for his wife."
Kate Morley, defending, told the court: "Ms Skinner has insisted that the very first thing I say is directed to the family. She is desperately sorry. Her actions can never be condoned. This is obviously the biggest and most serious mistake of her life.
"She would give anything to be able to turn back the clock. She will never forgive herself, and she doesn't expect anyone to forgive her. Ms Skinner is genuinely ashamed with herself. Ms Skinner has found what she has done difficult to comprehend and accept. The looming question is why would a 42-year-old lady of hitherto impeccable character, a mother to four children who has worked all her adult life, do such a despicable act? Why did her sense of morality evaporate?
"While there can never be an excuse or justification, it is important that the court is aware of the prevailing circumstances at the time. Ms Skinner had been a victim of domestic violence. Her now former partner had, unbeknown to her, run up debts of thousands and thousands of pounds in her name. She was at her lowest, fragile.
"In desperate financial circumstances, she stooped so low. It is frankly baffling that Ms Skinner would do something like this for a couple of hundreds pounds, but it perhaps puts into context her desperation. In 42 years, she has never put a foot wrong. She recognises the extreme distress she has caused a whole family.
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"While a prison sentence would be difficult for Ms Skinner, it is the impact on her children that is going to be traumatic. Ms Skinner is in employment. Her employers are fully aware of the circumstances of this case, but are still willing to employ her. She is in a responsible job assisting people, and has been nothing but professional and dedicated. This offence was nearly two years ago, and there has not been any repeated offending."
Skinner admitted theft on the day she had been due to stand trial. She was jailed for 18 months. Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said: "Whatever may have been their financial value, the rings were of considerable sentimental value to Arthur. He was clearly inconsolable.
"It is difficult to overstate the devastating effect of your actions on his family. His children were coming to terms with having to make the difficult decision to place their father in a care home and the unexpected death of their mother just days beforehand. They have understandably struggled to come to terms with the callous theft of such items from a vulnerable victim in what should have been a safe environment. No sentence which this court could pass would ever provide them with recompense for your callous actions.
"You rightly recognise that your actions are entirely inexcusable. It will come as little comfort that you were motivated by financial pressures arising from the actions of your abusive ex-husband. I nevertheless accept that you are disgusted and ashamed at your behaviour. You have expressed genuine remorse and recognise that you need to be punished.
"You were in breach of a high degree of trust and responsibility placed upon you as a carer in a home for dementia patients. You deliberately targeted a vulnerable victim. I would be failing in my public duty if I were to do anything other than impose an immediate custodial sentence for this wicked offence."
Skinner was also told to pay £165 in compensation, which Mr Hughes' family say they will donate to a dementia charity. Recorder Knifton added: "It is to the enormous credit of Arthur's family that they have indicated that they will donate that sum to a dementia charity - I express my sincere condolences to them."
Detective Inspector Jay Halpin said: "Targeting vulnerable people and stealing from them while in a trusted position is the lowest of the low. We are dedicated to protecting those in our communities who are the most vulnerable and taking action against those who seek to exploit them. Skinner was supposed to be a carer looking after people but instead used it as an opportunity to steal and sell this man’s treasured possessions. It is right she is now behind bars."