A WOMAN “cleaned out” the accounts of an elderly relative whose financial dealings she was supposed to be helping to oversee, a court was told.

Andrea Nicholson was advised to put her own home up for sale to enable her to at least part compensate her 77-year-old victim.

Durham Crown Court heard that from about 2011 she believed she assumed power of attorney to help sort out financial dealings for the vulnerable ex-mineworker, who was said to have mild learning difficulties.

Ian West, prosecuting, said the victim, an uncle of Nicholson’s husband, was considered “vulnerable” in financial terms.

Following “an episode” in 2011, he went to live in a care home in Chester-le-Street.

His fees, paid via Durham County Council to the home, were funded partly by his pension and benefits, and partly from the capital in his savings.

Mr West said in about May 2013 the council tried to contact her as the direct debit payments had not been paid, but Nicholson was “evasive”.

By June last year, with the unpaid fees mounting , a meeting was arranged and she handed over a payment book for one account and a debit card for the other, admitting having taken the money, and that she had, “been stupid”.

Mr West said it emerged she had taken money from both accounts which were, “virtually cleaned out”.

“Police were involved and she was interviewed, stating that she was unaware where the money had gone.

“But, she claimed she had not led a lavish lifestyle, she had just taken the money and spent it.”

Mr West said the first withdrawal was £100 in October 2011, while sums of £16,5000 were taken in 2012 and £11.500 in 2013, with the final sum of £200 in June, 2014.

The care home said it was never going to turn away the victim, but a statement added that he had not been provided with “little extra”, like other residents, which meant his room was “sparsely furnished”.

Forty-nine-year-old Nicholson, of Wycliffe Road, Seaham, County Durham, admitted a charge of theft.

Judge Christopher Prince asked what were the prospects of the defendant compensating the victim, and would she be seeking to sell her home to enable her to do so.

Alex Burns, mitigating, said Nicholson believes there would only be about £15,000 available in equity, but that she would put the sale in progress.

Judge Christopher Prince adjourned for the case to be “mentioned” on May 29, to hear that the property has been put on the market, but warned that doing so would not rule out a prison sentence.