David Eggleton, 71, has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison for stealing £600,000 from his 93-year-old aunt to fund a luxurious lifestyle, Swindon Crown Court heard.
Eggleton, who had been granted power of attorney for Lilian Eggleton, transferred substantial amounts of money from her account to his own. He used the funds to buy cars, holidays, a Bitcoin mining device, garden renovations, and £54,000 worth of Apple products, as well as to pay off his mortgage.
The fraud, which took place between 2018 and 2020, came to light when payments for Ms. Eggleton’s care home fees were missed due to insufficient funds. Eggleton, from Calne, Wiltshire, was convicted of fraud and perverting the course of justice following a trial. Recorder Marcus Pilgerstorfer KC said:
“Lilian Eggleton, born in 1927, worked hard all her life, accumulating assets through her toil. In 2017, she appointed you as her lasting power of attorney and moved into a care home later that year. She trusted you.”
A direct debit of £4,500 per month was set up from Ms. Eggleton’s bank account to her care home, Kenbrook in Wembley, run by Methodist Homes. Payment issues began in August 2018, continuing until 2020, prompting Ms. Eggleton to authorise an examination of her bank account. This revealed Eggleton’s unauthorised transfers.
“The total sum taken is quite eye-watering,” the judge noted. “You used the money to live the high life.”
Despite being informed in June 2020 that his aunt no longer wanted his involvement in her finances, Eggleton continued to withdraw funds for months. He later promised to repay the £31,853 owed to the care home and replace the money he had taken, requesting his aunt withdraw her police complaint.
“As a Christian, I would never do anything detrimental to her or others for personal gain,” he wrote. The care home forwarded the email to the police instead of reading it to Ms. Eggleton, who passed away on February 13th, 2021.
A video interview recorded before her death showed Ms. Eggleton tearfully expressing her sadness and betrayal. The judge remarked:
“Your actions caused her upset and concern at a time she was entitled to live in peace.”
Felicia Davy, representing Eggleton, highlighted his lack of previous convictions and his lifelong career in mechanical engineering.
