A home help abused her position caring for a vulnerable pensioner by using his money to pay for family holidays, shopping and to pay her husband’s loans, a jury heard.

Theresa Frost regularly cleaned and did housework for Trevor Walshaw, and was trusted from 2009 with his bank cards to pay his bills.

But Matthew Bean, prosecuting, claimed at Leeds Crown Court yesterday for nearly three years she was defrauding the pensioner, who is now aged 81.

He told the jury it was the crown’s case that “out of greed” she abused her position of trust for the benefit of herself and her husband Paul.

Mr Bean said she was not just a home help but was seen by the pensioner as a friend.

He said examples of Frost using money without authority was £599 paid in May 2011 for a holiday while £18,000 was withdrawn the same month.

In 2012, £14,317 was used to pay off two loans in her husband’s name.

“This must have been with his assistance,” Mr Bean told the jury. “In 2012 she persuaded Mr Walshaw to sell his home. The suggestion was she and Paul Frost would sell their home and they would together buy a house with the proceeds of the sale of the two house and they all would live together.”

He told the jury that included the Frost’s five children. Mr Walshaw’s home in Burniston Drive, Oakes, was sold and in September he said Frost tried to transfer £112,000 from the proceeds of the sale from Mr Walshaw’s bank account.

Initially she tried to get it paid to a solicitor and when that branch was not happy to do that she visited another branch to get it paid to a third party saying it was to buy a house in Moorlands Road, Mount.

Mr Bean said it was intended that only Paul Frost’s name would appear on the mortgage for the new property with nothing in writing about Mr Walshaw’s share.

Frost, 44, of Stanley Road, Lindley, denies 15 charges of fraud. Her husband Paul, 44, denies two charges jointly with her relating to the loan repayment and attempt to transfer £112,000.

Mr Bean told the jury the couple denied any dishonesty to the police and claimed they had been given money by the pensioner as gifts or loans and that Mr Frost’s loans had been paid off to enable him to get the mortgage quicker so they could all move in together.

Mr Walshaw said in his video evidence in chief shown to the jury he felt “very bitter” about what had happened. He said he trusted her.

“She would write cheques for me which I would sign,” he said.

Under cross-examination by Katherine Robinson for Theresa Frost he agreed he intended to leave his money to her in his will but denied telling her she could buy things if she wanted from his accounts.

“You agreed you would pay for some holidays for Theresa and her family because she was working so hard looking after you,” said Miss Robinson.

“No, no,no ” replied the pensioner over the video link. He agreed he might have said he did not want his money from the sale of the house to go to the Government.

The trial continues.

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