Woman who stole war veteran's medals left stunned as she's jailed for 'despicable' crime
A woman has been sent to prison for eight weeks for the "despicable" crime of stealing nine medals from a "vulnerable" old war veteran.
Joanne Terrell Wilkins, aged 44, who gave her address as Dallamoor, in Telford, stood stunned in the back of the court as magistrates handed down the sentence telling her that the offence had been "so serious that only a custodial sentence is justified".
Telford Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that the victim Peter Dawson had seen Wilkins as a daughter and trusted her to let her stay at his bungalow and let in workers when he had to go to hospital from July 16 to August 1.
But Wilkins, who had pleaded guilty on September 13 to the charge of theft, had shattered the old man's trust by taking four of his war medals and five military medals belonging to Mr Dawson's father and taking them to a pawn shop.
Miss Sara Beddow, prosecuting, said: "She had been friends with the family and he felt she was a daughter to him and trusted by years of friendship.
"When he was going into hospital he had workmen going in and out of his bungalow and needed someone present, so he trusted her and allowed her to stay at his home.
"She took four war medals belonging to him and five military medals belonging to his father. They had been in a locked cabinet."
Police inquiries found that Wilkins had taken the medals to Cash Converters in Wellington on July 31 and August 1 and sold them for a total of £120. Cash Converters have given the medals back to Mr Dawson, the court was told.
"She had told them her grandfather had died."
Miss Beddow said Wilkins had said that her victim had told her to sell the medals for cash because she had been struggling financially.
