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A son plundered £95,000 from his dying mother’s bank to fund a lavish lifestyle and squander on a new girlfriend.
Christopher Cheney, of Tenterden, targeted his helpless mum after she succumbed to the late stages of Alzheimer's disease.
After being granted power of attorney the 57-year-old sold Gillian Cheney’s home under market value to a friend then frittered the money, intended for her end of life care, on “treats.”
Cheney, who admitted two counts of fraud by abuse of position from 2015 to 2017, was jailed at Canterbury Crown Court for two years and eight months.
His ill-gotten gains funded a playboy taste for holidays to Barbados and Cuba, tattoos, hair stylists and parties.
Cheney, of Shrubcote, and brother Patrick were granted joint control of her finances after she required around the clock care.
The fraudster then sought to sell her home and worldly goods then empty the cash into his own bank account, alongside Gillian’s life-savings.
Cheney resorted to lies when his mum’s care home contacted his niece Carley complaining the rent was £32,000 in arrears and she could face eviction.
He told her the payments were on their way but instead continued a “complete breach of trust” in pursuit of a younger woman.
Cheney would go on to tell the court his spending spree was due to loss of control after becoming depressed when his mum fell ill, marriage collapsed and business folded.
But Recorder Allison Russell shot-down his mitigation stating he “targeted her because of vulnerability.”
“You were responsible for ensuring the payment of her care home fees in a manner that would allow her to live her final days in comfort and rest.
“This misuse of your mother’s bank account occurred over a two-year period.
“There was a very real chance your mother might have been required to leave the care home she required and find alternative accommodation.
“It is hard to imagine a more serious or a more complete breach of trust of a son with power of attorney to fund his lifestyle at the expense of a vulnerable parent.
“This is clearly a very serious abuse of power, trust and responsibility.”
Cheny’s brother Patrick lives in a separate area of the UK and so trusted the fraudster to handle their mother’s affairs.
“This is clearly a very serious abuse of power, trust and responsibility...”
He and Carley told the court Cheney wreaked havoc on their family’s lives and “the only blessing is nanna was unaware of what was happening.”
Carley added she suffers depression, insomnia and trust issues: “I’ve tried to forgive uncle Chris, but I cannot forgive what he did.”
Patrick continued: “That money should have been used to make sure my mother’s care was paid for.
“He didn’t spend the money on necessities, he spent it frivolously on holidays, tattoos, even a birthday party.”
When Carley alerted the authorities, a police probe revealed Cheney used thousands to prop up his failing carpentry business, pay off debts, restaurant bills and “treats” for his new partner.
“He didn’t spend the money on necessities, he spent it frivolously on holidays, tattoos, even a birthday party...”
But the joiner would continue to distance himself from responsibility in court, pointing the finger at brother Patrick for not helping manage the finances.
The spending was down to a desperate pursuit of a “significantly younger woman” as his life spiralled out of control, he continued.
Mitigating, Natasha Hausdorff said: “There was an intensity around that time (of the new relationship) and he relied on his partner for support.
“He feared he was going to lose her, and that is when he began to use that money.”
Prosecutor Ben Irwin explained the way Cheney moved money around made it impossible to calculate the exact amount he stole, but it was around £95,000.
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