Therapist stole £1,200 from Walton Hospital patient

A former Walton Hospital occupational therapist stole £1,200 from an 80-year-old patient to feed his gambling habit.
Chesterfield magistrates court.Chesterfield magistrates court.
Chesterfield magistrates court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, August 13, how Richard Hall, 50, stole the patient’s bank card after they had been on a shopping trip and he went on to withdraw £200 a day over six days.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “The complainant had been taken shopping by two staff members including Hall and he had some difficulty using his card and asked for assistance.

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“Hall admitted that he saw the complainant enter his pin number and afterwards the card and the wallet were stored in a safe.

“The complainant knew nothing about the offences until police spoke to him and it gave him a shock because he needed the money for direct debits and he felt betrayed.”

Hall admitted the thefts after he walked into a police station and confessed his crimes.

He told police he had memorised the complainant’s pin number and made up an excuse to get access to the bank card in the safe and he withdrew cash to gamble in July.

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Hall, of Chadwell Street, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the theft of the card and theft of cash.

John Wilford, defending, said Hall took £1,200 when there was £1,800 available and he made full admissions.

Mr Wilford added: “He has a long history of gambling addiction and has tried to control it. He recognises this can’t continue and he has resigned.

“He recognises what he has done is wrong and that he deserves a custodial sentence but I ask the court to adjourn the case to consider a suspended custodial sentence?”

District Judge Andrew Davison adjourned Hall’s case to be heard at Derby Crown Court for sentencing on September 17.

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