A BAILIFF who turned thief and stole from a widow suffering from senile dementia, has been jailed.

Peter Walsh, aged 45, of Green Walk, Crayford, admitted stealing nearly £21,000 from the woman who was in her 80s, and also became involved in the proposed sale of her house which was worth more than £400,000.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how, in 2006, Walsh visited the Essex home of 82-year-old Dorothy Hobbs, now aged 85, after she forgot to pay her council tax bill.

Mrs Hobbs was unaware she had been diagnosed with dementia.

Walsh, who was working for Rossendales based in Lancashire, reported back and Mrs Hobbs’ case was dealt with under a policy which mothballed claims against the elderly or infirm.

Gerald Pounder, prosecuting, said despite the case having been abandoned, Walsh went back to see Mrs Hobbs and aroused the suspicion of her neighbours when his van was seen parked regularly outside her house.

He even went to the village shop and enquired about Mrs Hobbs’ pension, but was told it was dealt with by social services.

The court heard when Mrs Hobbs put her house up for sale, Walsh rang the estate agent claiming he was her representative and they agreed to use a system of sealed bids to get the best price.

He was later found to have taken the house deeds and stored them in his garage.

When a bid for the house was selected, Mrs Hobbs had to consult solicitors to handle the sale.

But when she spoke to them in Walsh’s absence, they became concerned about her mental health.

The solicitors then applied to the Court of Protection which looked at her finances and put the house sale on hold.

The sale has now been abandoned.

Walsh admitted three counts of theft of money from Mrs Hobbs, totalling £20,489.

In mitigation, Francis McGrath said Walsh had not known Mrs Hobbs suffered from dementia and had used the cash to pay off his debts, not to finance an extravagant lifestyle.

Jailing him for two years, Judge David Turner QC said: ”Bailiffs have to be above reproach because they are charged with serious responsibilities of entering homes and removing property.

“This was ugly and mean-spirited.”

No charges were brought over his involvement in the house sale.