Newport woman swindled £28,000 from her tetraplegic husband

Julie McCormack is said to have used bogus letters to obtain the cash from accounts either in her tetraplegic husband Steven's name or in joint names.

McCormack, of Upper Bar, Newport, admitted a total of eight charges of using a false instrument with the intention of it being accepted as genuine.

Three of the charges related to bogus letters submitted to Eastgate Financial Management Ltd, three to Scottish Mutual and two to Barclays Open Invest.

McCormack admitted the charges when she appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court today.

Exact details of the charges were not outlined in court and she will be sentenced at a later date.

Mr Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said that the frauds admitted totalled £27,900.

Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, representing McCormack, said his client was of previous good character.

He said: "These offences relate to a time when she was living with her husband and investments were cashed which were either in joint names or her husband's name.

"Julie McCormack will mitigate to say she used the money for the household and not personal gain."

Tetraplegia comes from an injury to the neck region of the spinal cord which results in a complete or semi-paralysis below the level of the break.

The condition affects different people in different ways. Not every level of paralysis is the same even if the level of injury is identical.

The case was adjourned to September 28 for pre-sentence reports and McCormack was bailed.

By Simon Hardy