A SCHEMING care worker and his wife fleeced a pensioner out of nearly £8,000 worth of her savings.

Home help Malcolm Cooper, 53, won the trust of Evelyn Bell before persuading her to sign over bank dealings to him.

The conman was jailed for 12 months after admitting stealing £7,359 from her account.

Wife Mandy, 43, who used Mrs Bell's debit card to withdraw £366.85 to spend on her family, was given a 12-month community penalty.

The pensioner, who is in her 60s and has mobility problems, has still not had the money drained from her savings returned to her.

York Crown Court heard the cash was spent on holidays, bills and toys for the couple's two children, aged 12 and 14.

Prosecutor Chris Smith said: "The defendant Malcolm has been involved in the caring profession for a number of years.

"During the course of his work, he came into contact with the complainant Evelyn Bell and was the one in charge of her care, doing tasks such as cleaning, shopping and the like."

Mrs Bell signed a third party mandate giving him access to her bank account.

But Cooper, of White Cross Road, Heworth, York, began withdrawing thousands of pounds from her account in the summer and autumn of 2003 and transferring the money to himself.

Mandy Cooper, who is now separated from her husband and lives with the children in nearby Roche Avenue, picked up the pensioner's debit card and used it to pay for a water bill, children's bikes and to withdraw £50.

Mr Smith said the deception came to light when Mrs Bell had a short stay at Bootham Hospital in York.

A nurse overheard the patient tell Malcolm Cooper some money was missing and the defendant insisted she had spent it.

When Mrs Bell was allowed home to her sheltered accommodation, steps were taken to put her back in charge of her own money, said the prosecutor.

Malcolm Cooper was asked to return documents to the bank and the large cash withdrawals were spotted.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and one of obtaining a money transfer by deception and also asked for a further three offences to be taken into consideration.

Mandy Cooper pleaded guilty to three counts of obtaining money transfer by deception and asked for a further offence of using the card to buy Damart underwear to be taken into consideration.

She will have to repay the £366 at a rate of £50 a week.

A separate hearing into reclaiming the rest of the cash from her husband under the proceeds of the Crime Act will be held in December. Craig Sutcliffe, defending Malcolm Cooper, said the money was used to pay debts caused by the couple re-mortgaging their home and for family holidays and gifts for the children.

Judge James Spencer QC, sentencing the couple, said: "You are before this court for quite disgraceful offences."

He jailed Malcolm Cooper for one year saying he had behaved dishonestly to a person who considered him her friend.

Mandy Cooper was given a combination order including 50 hours' community service and 12 months' probation.

When the Evening Press visited her home, she declined to comment on the case.

Updated: 08:30 Thursday, September 08, 2005