A retired headmaster has been jailed –  after siphoning more than £200,000 from an elderly widow’s accounts.

Andrew Allen was friends with Mrs Kathleen Steele for 40 years and was given power of attorney over her affairs.

But his dishonesty  came to light when Mrs Steele died and he was called to a meeting with another executor of her will who was horrified to discover the situation.

Leeds Crown Court heard Allen had known Mrs Steele through the church where her late husband was a Methodist minister. As headteacher of a local primary school, Allen was considered a pillar of the community.

In 2005, Allen began registering the power of attorney with the various banks and building societies where her accounts were held. Initially when he began withdrawing money he intended to pay it back, but from 2007, when she was 80, he was behaving dishonestly, Sam Andrews, prosecuting, told the court.

Over the next three years he made more than  250 transactions, withdrawing cash, paying bills and making transfers into his own accounts.

Mr Andrews said Mrs Steele died in August 2010 and a solicitor friend who was also made an executor was shocked to see how little there was and realised money was missing.

By then Allen, who had retired from his job with a £60,000 lump sum pension, had taken £213,000 from Mrs Steele’s accounts.

James Keeley, representing Allen,  said his client  could only blame financial mismanagement and ineptitude on his day-to-day living.

“There is no evidence of high-living, of a champagne lifestyle, on the contrary, the money just came and went.”

Allen now faces possible re-possession of his family home in Friary Court, Birstall, near Batley.

A £400,000 high court civil judgement had also been obtained against him.

Allen, 60, admitted three charges of fraud. Jailing him for three-and-a half years, Judge Batty said: “What you did was utterly unforgivable.”

He accepted Allen had made no further withdrawals after her death, but for more than three   years had systematically taken money from Mrs Steele’s accounts.