A woman who helped herself to her elderly neighbour’s savings, defrauding her of €90,900 within months, has been handed a suspended sentence.

Michelina Grech, the 60-year old housewife, was prosecuted after the brother of her elderly Rabat neighbour raised the alarm in 2015.

Acting under a power of attorney, the man had confirmed with the bank that several cheques were issued between December 2014 and the following August, under his sister’s signature. 

Some were addressed to the Sliema care home where the old woman has since taken up residence, while others were made out to a local service provider, the accused and her brother.

Police investigations revealed that Grech had been caring for her elderly neighbour on a daily basis, assisting in all her needs.

At first, she lent her help freely but when the demands, placed upon her by the neighbour and her two elderly siblings increased, the elderly lady tendered money to Grech.

She began to receive a monthly payment of €200, which was later doubled.

On one occasion, Grech had accompanied her neighbour to a local bank where she transferred her fixed deposit funds to a savings account. 

Within months, a total of €90,900 were issued in cheques signed by the elderly lady, sometimes in blank, to be filled in by Grech, whom she trusted.

When eventually the neighbour moved into a Sliema home, Grech continued to visit her every day. 

The woman was prosecuted for misappropriation, fraud and theft, pleading not guilty as charged. 

Numerous witnesses, including relatives of both the alleged victim and the accused, were summoned to testify.

The woman later drew up a list of hours devoted to helping her elderly neighbour and the payment she expected to receive in return, by way of justifying those “imaginary credits.”

When testifying in court, Grech claimed that if she were to get paid for her services, the sum would exceed the €100,000 that the neighbour had bequeathed to her under a will. 

That testamentary disposition was subsequently revoked.

The accused also claimed that the victim had wanted to give her the money during her lifetime. 

The court, presided by magistrate Astrid May Grima, concluded that fraud had been sufficiently proven since the accused had led the unsuspecting victim to sign the blank cheques.

However, misappropriation had not been proven because the cheques had not been entrusted to her on condition of being returned or under some specific use. 

Nor was theft proven since the cheques were not taken against the owner’s will, although Grech had failed to inform her of the amounts to be withdrawn.

The court condemned Grech to a two-year jail term suspended for four years and ordered her to refund the €90,900 within six months. 

The woman was also placed under a personal obligation not to harass her victim and to abide by a four-year protection order.

Inspector Shaun Friggieri prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Martin Fenech were defence counsel.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio appeared parte civile.