Last Updated: November 28, 2024
Margaret Jenkins (Image: Gwent Police)
A Blackwood grandmother has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after stealing £5,500 from a disabled friend she was meant to be caring for.
Margaret Jenkins, 50, from Pontllanfraith, used her position of trust to take benefits money from her 36-year-old victim, who is registered blind and has cerebral palsy. The court heard Jenkins spent the stolen funds on luxuries including a trip to Butlin’s, garden items, and portable speakers.
The victim, who had recently lost her mother, shared her heartbreak in court: “I believed I could trust her and that she was a friend. She’s let me down by doing this. I’ve been very upset and this is causing me to cry a lot in relation to my money being stolen.”
At Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Paul Hobson condemned Jenkins’ actions, stating: “You treated this vulnerable, recently bereaved woman as a cashpoint for yourself.” He noted the defendant showed “little remorse and you’ve tried to blame others and minimise your actions.”
Despite being given the chance to repay the money by police in exchange for a conditional caution, Jenkins returned just £100 of the stolen funds.
