A CANCER victim’s life-savings were spent by a trusted friend who stole more than £6,000 while caring for her.

Kathleen Bailey, president of the Shuttleworth-in-Ramsbottom Women’s Institute, pleaded guilty to stealing between £6,000 and £9,000 from her dying lifelong friend.

Bailey, of Butler Street, Ramsbottom, appeared before Bolton Crown Court last Wednesday, in relation to the theft of cash belonging to 87-year-old Kathleen Ormrod between August, 2012 and April, 2013.

The 70-year-old, a church elder at Dundee United Reformed Church, was also involved in a number of charities and organisations.

The court heard how she was given power of attorney over Ms Ormrod’s finances while she was receiving nursing care at Walshaw Hall Care Home in Tottington.

Ms Ormrod suffered from the late stages of terminal breast cancer and received daily care and nursing.

Bailey, while in control of bank accounts belonging to Ms Ormrod, took several thousand pounds over a number of months until April 2013 by cashing cheques which she made payable to herself. At one point she was taking more than £1,000 a month.

Bailey’s actions were observed by staff at the NatWest bank in Ramsbottom who found her cashing cheques suspicious.

Pleading guilty to theft, she was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years and ordered to pay £1,500 to the estate of Ms Ormrod, who died just eight weeks after Bailey was arrested and charged.

A relative of the victim, who asked not to be named, said afterwards: “I am absolutely shocked and appalled how anybody could do this to such a caring, loving lady, especially when she was in such poor health, fighting terminal cancer.

“When she found out that Kathleen Bailey had betrayed her trust and stolen her savings which were paying for her nursing care, she was devastated.

“She told me it wasn’t just the money; it was the fact that her best friend of 70 years and whom she relied on in her ill health had betrayed her trust.

“She had been such a strong lady, but her confidence was so severely knocked that within a few weeks, she had lost her 12-year battle with cancer.”

After the hearing, Bailey protested her innocence. The case had been due to go to trial last Wednesday, but she changed her plea to guilty.

She told the Bury Times: “I was advised to plead guilty as this case had been going on for two years.

“I had been sent home from court five times because the trial was not ready to go ahead.

“My GP informed the court that I was not fit each time for trial and that is why I was advised by my brief to change my plea.

Ms Ormrod only had distant relatives. She had relied on me for years and she gave me permission to use her money.”