Careworker accused of misusing elderly resident's chequebook

A 55-year-old careworker has been ordered not to leave her residence pending court proceedings after she was charged with stealing over €90,000 using a chequebook belonging to an elderly resident at a care home.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard Police Inspector Yvonne Farrugia charge Rabat housewife Michelina Grech with misappropriation, fraud and theft from an 89-year-old elderly woman.

Grech, a widow is understood to have stolen or misappropriated amounts in excess €90,000.

Inspector Farrugia told the court that the accused had been the victim's caregiver for many years, a service for which she would be paid €400 per month by the victim's brother. The accused had been entrusted with a signed chequebook, from which she would liberally write cheques addressed to herself, the Inspector explained.

It is understood that the police investigation had started when the victim found that she had insufficient funds left in her accounts to pay for the care home.

Farrugia requested that the victim be considered as a vulnerable witness at law. Although the victim resides at a home for the elderly, there was little control on access to the home, explained the Inspector.

Just yesterday the accused had contacted the home, added the inspector.

The prosecution requested that bail be refused until the elderly woman and her brother testify.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Martin Fenech, entered a plea of not guilty to charges. Bail was requested, as was a ban on the publication of the name of the accused. 

The latter request was denied, the court saying it could not understand the need for the ban, observing that otherwise every case would end up not being reported.

"I love Tessie like my own mother," the accused erupted, being hushed into silence by her counsel.

But the court upheld the defence's request for bail, saying that access to the Sliema care home could be controlled.

The court granted Grech bail against a deposit of €1000 and a personal guarantee of €15,000, but ordered the woman not leave her brother's residence for reasons other than an emergency. 

A freezing order and a protection order were also imposed on the woman.