Carer Engineered £400,000 Burglary From Elderly Couple

When Jewell Ryan moved into an elderly couple’s Hampshire home to become a live-in carer she was meant to make their lives easier.

{mosimage}But just nine months later she faked a massive burglary and arranged for the theft of 200 highly valuable items from her employers.The haul was estimated to be worth up to £400,000.

The 59-year-old used a glossy brochure produced by Winchester auctioneers Bonhams to select the most valuable items from Leeland House in the High Street, Twyford.

She even stole treasured personal possessions by rifling though drawers in the room where the elderly woman she was meant to be caring for was lying in bed suffering from dementia.

However, her despicable actions involving two accomplices were exposed after police became suspicious about her allegation of a burglary and subsequently found Ch’ing dynasty porcelain in her suitcase.

Today Ryan, of Alexander Road, Hemel Hempstead, is beginning a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence after a Winchester Crown Court jury found her guilty of conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to obtain property by deception.

She was found guilty of using a stolen credit card to obtain goods worth £2,271 and £2,200 in cash.

Co-accused Lionel Sime, 51, of Eagles Close, Merston, Kent was also found guilty of conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to obtain property by deception and jailed for five-and-a half years.

Henry Messenger, 65, of Stone Street, Faversham, Kent, was also found guilty of conspiracy to handle stolen goods and jailed for six years.

A fourth man, Robert Moys, 57, of Old Tree Road, Hoath, Canterbury, was acquitted of conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Barnett said the breach of trust was among the worst he had seen.

The trial heard that in January, 2005, Ryan got a job as a live-in carer with Major General Giles Mills, now 85 years old, to help look after his wife Emily who had dementia.

Maj Gen Mills served in the Second World War.

He and Emily had been married for 58 years and had three children.

Ryan and her boyfriend Sime faked a break-in and arranged for scores of items to be stolen.

The haul included paintings, objets d’art, jewellery, furniture, including ten chairs and six tables, silver, medals and many simpler items of sentimental value.

Mrs Mills was unaware of what was going on and Maj Gen Mills was away visiting family.

The trial heard that in the early hours of September 22, 2005, Ryan rang 999 to report a burglary but the police were suspicious as there was little evidence of a break-in. She was arrested five days later and the Ch’ing dynasty porcelain was found in her suitcase.

Charles Gabb, prosecuting, said: “This was a vicious and spiteful selection by Ryan of this old lady’s property, including her most treasured personal possessions.”

Within two months of the burglary Mrs Mills had died, although it was not related to the theft. Maj Gen Mills was so upset that soon afterwards he sold the house and moved away, the court heard.

Robert Grey, mitigating for Ryan, said: “It’s surprising she finds herself here. She is a lady of 59 of previous good character.”

Adam Morgan, for Sime, said he was an alcoholic whose life had been devastated by drink.

Rupert Bowers, for Messenger, accepted his client was a career criminal who would find it difficult to spend time in jail.

Sentencing Judge Andrew Barnett told Ryan: “This is one of the most appalling breaches of trust I have ever heard.

“You used your position to gain knowledge of the house, the whereabouts of the alarms, the whereabouts of the underfloor safe, the whereabouts of the keys and hence the ability to attack from the inside that house, filled as it was with many antiques which were prized not just for their value but their sentimental effect.”