Pensioners defrauded of more than £250,000 by care home manager

Between September 2017 and August 2020, while in charge of five care facilities in Northamptonshire, the 35-year-old laundered funds through interbank transfers via his own five personal accounts and those of service users.

Howard has now been sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Northampton Crown Court after admitting one charge of fraud by abuse of position.

The court heard how he used service users’ bank cards held at the care facility he used them to withdraw money from ATMs as well pretended to be them to access and make changes to their accounts to switch to telephone/internet banking and to redirect bank statements to his home address.

He also bypassed company policies and informed service users’ next of kin that he was the person to go to concerning financial queries as well as creating fake trips and events to collect funds from them.

His offending was only discovered after a service user requested access to their funds, which prompted him to resign and on September 20, 2020, Howard was arrested on suspicion of fraud after handing himself in to Northamptonshire Police.

Northamptonshire Police said during his police interview, he showed remorse and told officers that he regretted his actions and claimed that he had a gambling addiction and had stolen the money to pay off his debts which had spiralled out of control.

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DC Emma England of the Force’s Economic Crime Team said: "Benjamin Howard was placed into a position of trust which he betrayed and instead of safeguarding his victims, he took full advantage of their vulnerabilities.

"In his own admission, he stole the money to fund his gambling and pay off his debts which had spiralled out of control.

"Although he was remorseful, we hope he uses his time in prison to not only reflect on his actions but to receive support for his addiction.

"Fraud can and does devastate victims and Northamptonshire Police will seek to protect the most vulnerable in society and pursue those who take advantage to benefit themselves. We hope this sentence sends a clear message about how seriously police and the courts take such offences."

Following an investigation by Northamptonshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, Howard was subsequently charged and appeared before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on June 10 this year, charged with fraud by abuse of position- Fraud Act 2006.

Howard admitted the single charge and was released on unconditional bail while he awaited sentencing at Northampton Crown Court.