A WOMAN who fraudulently took an estimated £100,000 of her 100-year-old grandmother's money has been jailed.

Sheila Boon had been given full control of Marjorie Boon's finances on the victim's wishes, and had responsibility for the payment of care home fees, among other things.

However, following the sale of Ms Boon's Bournemouth home, her granddaughter began to use some of the money herself, although the exact amount taken is not known.

Nick Tucker, prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, said the sum could be "in excess of £100,000".

The Crown Prosecution Service contends that Boon, now 55, spent £64,000 on property investments, including paying off her mortgage, £30,000 on 'self gifts', £17,700 on fuel claims, although a "significant" number of these were not made fraudulently, £7,500 on home improvements and £10,000 on a car, which in the end was not in fact purchased.

Bournemouth council is also owed £22,000 in unpaid care home fees for Ms Boon as a result of the fraud, Mr Tucker added.

Robert Tolhurst, mitigating for Boon, said his client has never before been in trouble.

"She accepted the [jury's] verdict although it is fair to say that it came as a shock to her and has already had a very detrimental affect on her emotionally," he said.

"All the evidence suggests that Ms Boon did not set out on a wholly dishonest enterprise from the outset."

Boon had helped to care for her grandmother, to whom she was very close, for many years, Mr Tolhurst said.

Additionally, the defendant had provided constant care for her ill father, who has recently died, he added.

"[Family members] described Ms Boon as throughout her life having been thoroughly spoiled by her father and her grandmother, and being naive," he said.

"She overstepped the mark in seeking to do the best she could in carrying out her grandmother's wishes."

He said that Boon had kept financial records of all her spending, including of the amounts fraudulently taken, and had openly discussed her purchases before being arrested with officials from Dorset and Bournemouth councils.

Boon, of Locke King Close in Weybridge, Surrey, had denied fraud by abuse of position on dates between August 2007 and May 2013, but was found guilty following a trial at the same court.

Judge John Harrow heard that the defendant was to be the sole beneficiary of grandmother's estate.

"This is an unusual set of circumstances," he said.

"You abused [your] position of trust."

He said he had read a "mountain of references" from friends of the defendant, and said he was aware that she was previously of "impeccable" good character.

However, Judge Harrow continued: "What you did was totally out of character.

"It was a gross departure from your previous character and behaviour."

He sentenced the sobbing defendant to 18 months behind bars, telling her: "Sadly, having taken into account everything that has been said, there is no alternative but for an immediate custodial sentence."

Andy Sharp, Service Director for Adult Social Care, said: “Bournemouth Council treats any cases of benefit fraud very seriously and we will investigate and report any suspicions we may have. Elderly residents can be particularly vulnerable to financial fraud and in this case we referred the case to our safeguarding team and the police to progress.”