A PORTLAND woman who befriended an elderly and infirm woman and stole thousands of pounds from her has been jailed.

Janis Marais Carter, 62, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after she admitted writing out cheques from the woman’s account and paying them into her own account.

Between July 2009 and April this year she made out 16 cheques to herself totalling £11,124, although three cheques with a combined value of £1,821.58 were returned without being cashed.

Jennie Rickman, prosecuting at Dorchester Crown Court, said the victim – who had expressly asked not to be identified in open court – was an ‘elderly lady who suffers from health difficulties, difficulties with her eye sight and other problems’.

She added: “The lady got to know the defendant, who indicated she was prepared to help with shopping and other matters.”

Miss Rickman said the two became friends and occasionally the elderly woman would ask Carter to write cheques for her.

She said the theft was discovered when the victim received a letter from her bank, telling her that her account was overdrawn.

Relatives made inquiries with the bank on her behalf and Carter’s offending came to light.

Carter, of Easton Square, pleaded guilty to seven charges of fraud and seven charges of theft, as well as asking for 18 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

She also admitted two further charges of theft, which related to money she had taken from Mary and Nicola Nash.

Miss Rickman said the two women had given Carter some money to pay into a thrift club and the defendant had taken £165 out of the two envelopes, before resealing them and paying them in.

Tim Shorter, mitigating, said widow Carter had got into financial trouble since the death of her husband over a mix-up involving housing benefits, and by early 2009 ‘her financial situation was a complete mess’.

Mr Shorter said on one occasion the elderly lady asked her to write out a cheque and instead of ripping one cheque out of her chequebook, she took two and made the other out to herself.

He added: “Once it happened once and relieved some of her financial pressures it was easy to do it again, it became easier and easier.”

Mr Shorter said that the money had simply been used to pay off debts and there was no suggestion Carter used it to lead an extravagant lifestyle.

Recorder Christopher Parker told the defendant: “You effectively took advantage of a friend of several years who was infirm and whose eyesight was poor and asked you to assist with financial affairs and the writing out of cheques.

“She was to that extent not simply vulnerable but also trusting of you. I regard what you have done as a grave breach of trust.”