Bristol woman who stole £54k from mum-in-law must sell home to pay back theft

A PATCHWAY woman who ripped off her own mother-in-law to the tune of £54,600 has to sell her home to pay up £10,300 of what she stole.

Mandy Russe, 47, and her daughter Keri, 22, were convicted of stealing the life savings of Kathleen Russe, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The money was used to buy numerous items and during the time of the offences, an extension was built on the Russe family's house in Patchway.

Although Mandy was jailed for a year, Keri was able to walk out of court after her six month sentence was suspended for a year.

She was later dealt with for immediately sending a text message to her grandmother, saying: "You've got your wish, you fat, ugly bitch. I hate your guts. I hope you burn in Hell. I would like to take that smirk off your face."

She had also texted: "You watch your back because I'm coming for you now."

Keri Russe, 22, of Stroud Road, Patchway, pleaded guilty to harming a witness.

After a trial in November she and her mother Mandy, of the same address, were sentenced after being convicted of fraud.
Yesterday a Proceeds of Crime hearing found Mandy Russe's criminal benefit to be £54,635.59.

She was ordered to pay her mother-in-law her available assets of £10,362.12 – from a house sale – in six months or face a further six months in prison in default.

Previously the court heard Kathleen Russe's bank account was pilfered to the tune of more than £45,000 and £16,000 of loans were taken out in her name by Mandy Russe and her daughter Keri.

At the time, Judge Carol Hagen said it was difficult to imagine a more serious breach of trust to defraud, over a period of time, an elderly woman of her life savings.

Mandy was found guilty after trial of six counts of making false representations to make a gain.

Keri, who lives with her mum and brother, was found guilty of two counts of retaining a wrongful credit.

Between the summer of 2007 and April 2009, at least £45,841 was transferred out of the Lloyds TSB account of Kathleen Russe, said to be in her 60s. During this time more than £16,000 worth of bank loans were also taken out in her name, without her permission.

The court was told Kathleen Russe's bank had repaid her the majority of the money stolen as well as the loans taken out in her name.
Mitigating for Mandy Russe at the time, Anna Vigars said her client had been left physically and "emotionally damaged" after being in an abusive marriage for a number of years.

After the hearing yesterday Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of the Financial Investigation Unit of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We are committed to seizing any assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.

"It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is returned to their victims.

"By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and hopefully deter others from entering a life of crime."

Police say one in seven people knows someone living off the proceeds of crime.

For more information on making criminals pay visit www.takingthecashoutofcrime.com.
Source http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/