Legal bid to seize thieving carer's ill gotten gains

Toni Chippendale, 55, of Whitby Avenue, Ingol, Preston, was jailed for six years after admitting theft and fraud and has been incarcerated since June.

After years of investigations, following suspicions raised by the 86-year-old’s family, a probe found she siphoned nearly £100,000 from trusting great-grandfather Geoffrey Cooke, including a £25,000 overcharge in care fees.

Chippendale was also accused of stealing from his son John, 57, who suffered Downs syndrome, but the charge was ordered to lie on the file.

In a double blow for the family, father and son never got to see justice done as Mr Cooke, a retired BAe printer, died from kidney failure in October 2015 and John died from a heart attack.

Chippendale - who herself hit the headlines after becoming the victim of a thieving toyboy lover she met in Barbados - appeared before Preston’s Sessions House Court in a proceeds of crime hearing.

She told newspapers her 29-year-old husband, whom she met on the holiday of a lifetime, was cheating on her and had stolen thousands from her - but the family suspect the only reason she afforded the luxury holiday was by stealing from Mr Cooke.

Jeremy Groutsmith, prosecuting, said valuations were agreed for four properties she was linked to including £137,200 for her home on Whitby Avenue, and £122,200 for a bungalow on Dunoon Close the pensioner was made to rent from her.

(proceeding)