Warrington cleaner jailed for stealing money from vulnerable pensioner

Alison Lavell, 59, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 10 September where she was sentenced to nine months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to two counts of theft.

The court heard that on Friday 12 January 2024, Cheshire Police received a report from the victim's son, who suspected that Lavell had been stealing money from his 91-year-old mother that was supposed to be given to her carers.

The caller reported that around £500 had gone missing by the time the family had been made aware and they later provided Cheshire Police with video footage from a hidden camera from inside the elderly woman's home that showed Lavell, who was her personal cleaner at the time, taking what they believed was £20 from her purse on 2 January 2024.

A second piece of video footage taken a week later showed Lavell again reaching into the purse of the victim and taking a further £20.

Lavell was subsequently arrested on suspicion of theft but denied any knowledge of the 92-year-olds money going missing.

Despite claiming she was innocent, claiming she had picked up a prescription for the woman from her purse and not cash, Lavell was charged with two counts of theft and went to trial. After initially pleading not guilty, she would later change her plea to guilty after CCTV footage was shown to her in court.

Alison Lavell, of Alexandra Street, Warrington, then appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 10 September where she was jailed for nine months on each count, with the sentences to be served concurrently.

Police Constable Stephen Wolstenholme, of the Warrington Area Investigation Team, said:

"Alison Lavell abused her position of trust and stole the money of a vulnerable person who considered her a friend; I hope that her sentencing today provides the victim with a sense of closure from this distressing incident.

"Regardless of how small they may seem, we will always take matters such as this with the utmost seriousness and our officers will relentlessly do everything they can to get you the justice you deserve."

If you have any information regarding a theft or any other suspicious activity, please contact Cheshire police on 101, or visit www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us

Information can also be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.