A FARMER living on a modest income from the family business discovered his bank accounts had almost been emptied by his niece’s partner, over a four-year period.

Marcus Wood abused the trust placed in him by the 67-year-old victim, who allowed him access to his bank card and personal identity number, to regularly drawn sums from the two accounts.

Durham Crown Court was told Wood would often ask to “borrow” money from the uncle of his partner, Catherine Spooner, claiming it would be repaid as he was expecting to receive a large sum of money in an inheritance.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said: “There was no such inheritance and no money that Marcus Wood had to repay.

“In total the two accounts were emptied of £40,809 over a four-year period, from January 2014 to October 2018.”

Following a report to police and his arrest, Wood denied taking money without the complainant’s knowledge or permission, again claiming he was expecting an inheritance to enable him to repay what he had taken.

In a victim statement the farmer said he previously considered Wood as “genuine”, as he sometimes helped him with odd jobs, but now realised he had been “scammed” by him..

He also revealed he received notes from Wood, via a family member, urging him not to pursue the case as he would pay him back in due course.

Wood, 46, of Unicorn West, Bowes, who admitted fraud by false representation, was said to have ten convictions for 19 past offences.

Robert Mochrie, for Wood, said Wood did not intend, at the outset, to defraud the victim of anything like £40,000.

“That was a figure that accrued over time without Mr Wood realising how much he actually managed to swindle over that period, before anyone sought to intervene.”

Mr Mochrie said Wood did not realise the potential consequences of the later letters

Judge Ray Singh described it as, “a particularly mean and despicable offence”, which Wood admitted only on the day of scheduled trial.

The judge said he then ignored advice not to try to minimise his offending when speaking to the Probation Service, suggesting other people could have taken the money and repeating the suggestion he could pay it back from an inheritance that was due, without any evidence to support that claim.

He imposed a three-year prison sentence on Wood.

Two theft charges against his partner, Catherine Spooner, 29, also of Unicorn West, were, “left on the file”.

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