Carer stole from disabled Norwich woman

A carer stole several expensive items of jewellery along with prized artwork from a wheelchair-bound woman with multiple sclerosis, a court heard.

Hazal Emms, 50, from Swan Cottages, Saxlingham Nethergate, near Norwich, has denied theft be-tween November 1, 2008 and September 26, 2009.

Yesterday, a jury at Norwich Crown Court was shown DVDs of police interviews with the victim, 71-year-old Janine Cooper, in which she described the items she claims went missing from her bungalow near Norwich city centre.

The court heard that Mrs Cooper was partially paralysed and needed 24-hour care provided by five carers, and that Emms, who worked for NCODP Independent Living Norfolk, had been a carer for her from December 2007 to August 2009.

Mrs Cooper said in interview that the theft was discovered after she sacked Emms when the carer started shouting at her.

Mrs Cooper said: .A few weeks before I sacked her, she had tried to stop another of my carers from cleaning up the house.

.When she left we did clean up the house, and then we noticed things were missing..

Mrs Cooper said items had been stolen from the kitchen and the bedroom of her home, but nothing had been taken from the living room, where she lived and slept.

Among the items stolen, she said, were some small works of art known as ACEOS (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) that Mrs Cooper collected and kept on the bookshelf in her kitchen, several pieces of expensive jewellery from her bedroom, and some DVD box sets.

.I had collected these ACEOS and had paid up to £65 for each one. They are probably worth between £60 and £100 each. I kept them in a photograph album and I had 19 of them.

.It's a very specialist market so I cannot understand why anyone would take them, unless they knew where to sell them.

.They are not things you can go and buy in the high street and I got them off eBay.

.They are 2.5 by 3 inches in size and each one of them had a cat on it. They were by different artists. She took the best..

Mrs Cooper also claims Emms took a coffee percolator, an electric steamer and a breakfast bar from the kitchen.

She added that the jewellery had great sentimental value to her.

She said: ?This included a tiger bracelet I got from Singapore, a flower broach given to me by my grandmother and a charm bracelet I got when I was 21.

.There was also a platinum ring my husband bought for me, a diamond ring my second husband gave me from Belgium, an oval emerald ring, which was my first engagement ring, a wedding ring from my first marriage and a maternity ring when my first daughter was born.

.These are just little things that you pick up over the years. Some may not be valuable but they were irre-placeable.

A cardboard box full of picture frames and artwork was also taken from the bedroom, she said.

.These things had to be taken and could not have just been thrown out in the rubbish. The box was so heavy you could not pick it up..

DVD box sets of TV programmes 'A Touch of Frost' and 'Friends' Mrs Cooper had collected over several years were also taken from a bookshelf in the kitchen, but worthless videos on the bookshelf, which were no longer of any value, were left, she said.

Mrs Cooper said she went into hospital in December 2008 for an operation and returned three days later. During that time Emms had a key to the bungalow and fed Mrs Cooper's three cats.

Prosecutor Martin Ivory said that Emms sold jewellery to Jacks Jewellers in White Lion Street, Norwich on March 6, 2009, and received £280 in cash.

DC Caine interviewed Emms in September last year and told the court that she had denied that she stole anything from Mrs Cooper.

Emms said that Mrs Cooper gave her some rings which she sold, along with her own jewellery, at Jacks Jewellers. She said she sold the items because she needed the money.

Emms also told police that Mrs Cooper gave her some videos to sell at a car boot sale, DC Caine said. Police carried out a search at Emms's home, but items seized were not recognised by Mrs Cooper as belonging to her.

The trial continues.

Make Your Voice Heard...

Now, is the time to make your voice heard and reveal what is happening every day, be it a care worker, family member or other trusted person, that is abusing an Elderly Person, financially or in any other way. Write to us at: elderprotection telling us your story of Elder Abuse, share your concerns, reveal these crimes. If we are to make a difference in fighting against "Elder Abuse" then we need your help in proving to the law makers, that we need urgent action bringing the protection at the very least, to the same level as for children.
For far to long the Elderly have been ignored, its "TIME for CHANGE" and your chance to "MAKE A DIFFERENCE"

Or if you suspect that abuse is happening to you or someone you know,and you would like help! use this online form.

Action on Elder Abuse run the UK and Ireland's only national, freephone helpline for anyone concerned in any way about the abuse of older people.

The Office of the Public Guardian supports and promotes decision making for those who lack capacity or would like to plan for their future, within the framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The Counselling Directory only lists qualified/registered counsellors and psychotherapists. Every member has qualifications and insurance cover or must be registered with a recognised professional body..

Public Concern at Work is the independent authority on public interest whistleblowing. Established as a charity in 1993.

Know your Rights. advice and guidance,

Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and those who care for them.

Horsesmouth mentors are people with dementia and their carers who are using their personal experiences to help others deal with the challenges of dementia.

International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse.

Ensuring that Older People are cared for with Dignity and Respect Abuse.

By joining this group you will become a Dignity Champion.

If you suspect that Nursing Home or Care Home Negligence is taking place, Click above link.

Advice & support at Age UK offering a wide range of information sheets and reports.

ALMA FRANCE- Help Against Abuse of Elderly and Persons with Disabilities.

Alicja Dating Uk Sponsors Elder Protection please visit their site.

Nursing Home Neglect Solicitors

A firm of solicitors with clients all over the country, which has the largest specialist abuse department in the country, and is able to advise on any allegation of elder abuse which is likely to lead to a claim for compensation. Legal Aid funding is available dependent on means.

A non profit web site specialized in a personal depression journey