Mansfield woman stole £6K from grieving widow

Zoe Clifton, 24, of Pleasley Springs, Pleasley, admitted theft when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Kate Beardmore, prosecuting, said: “A couple had taken this lady in as their daughter. The husband died. “Mum” went to respite care.

“It was during this time that she asked the defendant to pay some household bills. She didn’t.”

After Clifton’s victim came out of respite care, she fell and ended up in King’s Mill Hospital, added Ms Beardmore.

Again Clifton was asked to pay bills, and again they weren’t paid.

Michael Little, mitigating, told the court Clifton’s relationship with the woman started 18 or 19 years ago.

The thefts took place between June 18 and October 5, last year, from the post office on Chesterfield Road North, Mansfield.

Clifton, who has no previous convictions, was told the thefts, which involved a “significant breach of trust”, had a starting point of two years in custody and exceeded the magistrates’ sentencing powers.

She was bailed to Nottingham Crown Court on March 2.