Tory councillor 'gambled away elderly woman's £154,000 life savings on slot machines': She was left with so little money her family had to give her pauper's funeral
- John Morgan had power of attorney over the finances of Beryl Gittens, 92
- He allegedly spent all her money on slot machines and a trip to Las Vegas
- Councillor claims she wanted him to gamble it away to avoid money going to her in-laws after her death
- Mrs Gittens' family became suspicious after her 'pauper's funeral'
Claims: Conservative councillor John Morgan is alleged to have stolen the life savings of Beryl Gittens, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease
By Hugo Gye
A district councillor squandered £154,000 belonging to an elderly woman by gambling it on slot machines, leaving her penniless when she died, a court heard today.
John Morgan was given power of attorney over the finances of Beryl Gittens, 92, who was always dressed well and wore expensive jewellery.
But he allegedly spent nearly all her money on fruit machines and a gambling trip to Las Vegas, so that when she died she had to be given a 'pauper's funeral'.
Morgan, 75, has been a Conservative councillor for more than 25 years, and currently serves on Vale of White Horse District Council in Oxfordshire.
He has admitted spending Mrs Gittens' money - but told police she asked him to gamble it in order to stop her relatives arguing over their inheritance.
The councillor was a trusted friend of Mrs Gittens, a widow, for a number of years and had been granted power of attorney, along with her son Roger Gittens, after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2004.
Michael Roques QC, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that Morgan had stolen nearly £80,000 in cash and £75,000 through transfers into his bank account.
'There were a number of cash withdrawals, including some in Las Vegas while the defendant was on holiday there,' he said.
'A number of withdrawals were made at motorway service stations and it transpires that these have £500 jackpot fruit machines at them.
'There was money going on casino slot machines and it became apparent that Morgan was using Beryl Gittens' money for gambling.'
The court heard that Mrs Gittens and her late husband Bill had owned a pub in Hermitage, Berkshire, where Morgan was a regular, leading to him becoming a close friend of the pensioner.
She wrote a will in 2004 that granted Morgan and Roger Gittens, who lives in Australia, power of attorney and specified that Morgan would get £5,000 from her estate as thanks for his friendship.
In September of that year Mrs Gittens moved into a care home in Wantage, Oxfordshire on the advice of doctors. It is alleged Morgan began siphoning money from her account six months later.
With her husband's Army pension, a State pension, life savings and £137,500 from the sale of her flat, the estate was originally worth nearly £250,000, the court heard.
But by the time she was moved to the Hungerford Care Home in January 2011, she had so little money left that the council had to pay her bill.
Trial: Morgan has denied theft during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court, pictured
When the elderly woman died in January 2012 almost all of her money had been stolen, Mr Roques said.
'By the time she died there was no money for a funeral,' he continued. 'The defendant had had £154,000 of her money and rather than pay for the funeral himself he went to the council and asked it to pay for her funeral. It did, as the accounts said she had no money.'
Family members who attended Mrs Gittens' funeral were surprised at the simple ceremony because she had 'dressed immaculately and had nice jewellery', the court heard.
Her sister-in-law became suspicious and contacted Roger Gittens, who examined his mother's accounts and then contacted police about the alleged embezzlement of her funds.
The court heard Morgan had told police in interview that Mrs Gittens had been very careful with money but been generous to her son in Australia.
'This defendant accepts he took £154,000 of her money,' Mr Roques said, adding that Morgan denied acting dishonestly and claimed Mrs Gittens had wanted to keep her money out of the hands of her in-laws.
'He said one day there was a conversation between just the two of them. She said, "I want you to promise me that when I go there is but a penny for those buggers to squabble over."'
'When asked, he said he made sure that all the money was taken out of the account, according to her wishes. He said she would have loved a visit but no family bothered. That is why they didn't deserve any money.'
Morgan, from Wantage, also told police that Mrs Gittens liked to gamble on fruit machines, but said that her family was unaware of her habit.
He has been a member of the Vale of White Horse District Council since 2007, having previously spent 21 years serving on Newbury and West Berkshire councils.
After he was charged with theft, he stepped down as vice-chairman of the council's planning committee, but has continued as a councillor.
He denies the charge, and his trial is expected to last a week.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2513867/Tory-councillor-John-Morgan-gambled-away-womans-life-savings.html#ixzz2lta50ICt
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