A mother has avoided prison despite stealing more than £30,000 from her elderly grandparents who suffer from dementia after a judge ruled the incident a “stupid mistake.”
Charlotte Booth, 24, appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to theft.
The Cheshire court heard she had used a bank card belonging to Robert and Christine Booth to fund shopping sprees, rental payments and various direct debits between October 2022 and November 2024.
Booth, from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, must repay the full amount taken, which totalled £30,255.19.
The young mother, who has a two-year-old child, is currently receiving Universal Credit benefits.
Her grandparents remain unaware of the betrayal due to their condition.
The fraud came to light after Booth’s mother Natalie, who held power of attorney over the elderly couple, spotted irregularities in their bank statements.