Thieving barmaid stole £34k from grandad to spend on 14-month 'almighty bender'

21 March 2023 , 13:52

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Nicola Taylor stole £34,000 from her grieving grandfather and spent it on drugs, tattoos and takeaways (Image: Lancs Live WS)

A barmaid who plundered her granddad's life savings to spend on cocaine, takeaways and tattoos was told her grandmother would be "ashamed" of her.

Nicole Taylor seized control of her granddad Norman Glover's care after he was diagnosed with dementia, using his cash to fund an extravagant lifestyle involving drugs, holidays, and a new car.

The 25-year-old from Chorley, Lancashire, was jailed for the 14-month theft campaign, during which time Taylor's grandmother, Julie Glover, passed away.

Mr Glover, a court heard, was devastated to learn of the £34,000 theft, and said he had "lost everything", Lancs Live reports.

Because of his granddaughter's crimes, he told the court he'd also lost out on being able to choose a care home.

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Preston Crown Court heard Taylor had been Julie Glover's granddaughter - her mum having been Mrs Glover's daughter from a previous marriage - but was treated by Norman as one of his own.

Preston Crown court (PA)

Despite that, prosecutor David Clarke told how Taylor had been left in charge of his care as her mum lived in Oxfordshire, and was granted access to his bank account for household maintenance purposes only.

But on a regular visit to Chorley in 2020, Taylor's mother, Caroline Spindler, found the home in disarray and was told the defendant had been given power of attorney.

Mrs Glover died in June the following year, by which time the court heard Taylor had already been helping herself to Mr Glover's savings to spend on cocaine and fast food, as well as treating herself to new tattoos.

Taylor was turned over to the police after family spotted the outgoings from Mr Glover's account, with the 25-year-old admitting she had been "off my face on cocaine" for most of the time spent stealing.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Glover said: "I am incredibly disappointed in a person I thought the world of.

"I am hurt that a loving and caring girl that I treated like my own could do this to me. This will never go away and I will never like anyone else to find themselves in the same situation."

Mr Glover said that he had lost everythin,g including being able to choose his own retirement home, adding: "Your grandmother would be ashamed of you."

Defending, Jane Miller said Taylor deeply regretted what she had done and had wrote a letter of apology to her grandfather after she was arrested.

Ms Miller said she intended to pay back every penny and planned to hand over her share of an upcoming house sale towards it.

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Sentencing, Judge Simon Medland KC described Taylor's behaviour during that time as "living on an almighty bender" on her grandfather's life savings, adding that it was an "enormous breach of trust".

He said there was no appropriate alternative to jail and handed out a 14-month sentence.

Susie Beever