A couple in their eighties were left penniless after their own son stole money allocated for their care to pay for holidays, meals out and rent.
The couple, from Ruddington, had gone into care in 2015 and, three years later, their care home manager found a large balance was missing on their account.
This is when investigations found that Steven Buckley, of Kenilworth Drive in Ilkeston, had used around £114,000 of the couple's funds for his own financial gain.
The 58-year-old spent it on a variety of holidays, travel, eating out, shopping, insurance and paying his own rent. He had also withdrawn nearly £18,000 from a cash machine.
His parents had not heard from their son for more than a year and had no idea they had been left with no money and in debt to the care home.
Following investigations from financial investigators, Buckley was reported for summons for fraud by false representation.
He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2020, and was jailed for 24 months, suspended for a year, following a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday (August 26).
Police Constable Kelly Carlile who led the investigation said: "It's really sad and harrowing that Buckley had the ability to con and fool his own parents.
"They had trusted him and he didn't think twice before leaving them penniless.
“The care home and Nottinghamshire County Council’s Social Services team acted responsibly, quickly recognising an issue, carrying out their own investigation and working with us on this case.
"If it wasn ’t for their hard work and tenacity, Buckley could well have got away with it.
"Nottinghamshire Police takes fraud and financial abuse really seriously and we investigate all reports we receive thoroughly.
"We're glad that we were able to bring Buckley before the courts and that he's now been held to account for his crimes."
