A Midland handyman, Simon Appleby, has been sentenced to three years in prison after defrauding a vulnerable elderly woman of more than £100,000 over nearly three years.
Appleby, 40, from Letton in Bucknell, South Shropshire, performed odd jobs for the woman from September 2019 until her death in December 2022. Initially employed as a cleaner, he continued to provide services after the company he worked for folded, carrying out tasks such as painting her garage and changing lightbulbs.
The victim trusted Appleby, even allowing him to use her laptop to access her online banking account. Exploiting this trust, Appleby made 41 payments to himself totaling £102,627. He falsely claimed some withdrawals covered materials for various jobs, including replacing the garage door—work that was never done. He failed to provide any evidence of these purchases.
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Shockingly, Appleby continued accessing her funds even as she lay unconscious in hospital. On December 12, 2022, just an hour before the woman’s passing, he logged into her computer and transferred £15,000 to himself.
West Mercia Police investigated following concerns raised by the victim’s family. Appleby pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation in August 2024, and was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on December 22.
Detective Constable Emily Cooke condemned Appleby’s actions as a “shameful abuse of trust,” emphasizing that targeting vulnerable individuals for personal financial gain is “deeply dishonest and morally inexcusable.” She praised the victim’s family for reporting the crime and stated the sentence sends a strong warning that such exploitation will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.