A PONTYPOOL carer charged with taking more than £54,000 from an 89-year-old woman said the cash was a gift for giving up her part-time job.

Jacqueline Courtney, 49, of The Woodlands, Pen-y- Garn, is on trial alongside her husband Stephen Courtney, 52, at Newport Crown Court for two counts of fraud.

The couple are jointly facing charges that between January 1, 2009, and March 24, 2010, they dishonestly abused their position as a carer for 89-year-old Marion Edna Holland, by transferring £54,568.01 to themselves.

They are also charged with abusing their position by persuading Mrs Holland to change her will in favour of Jacqueline Courtney.

The jury at Newport Crown Court heard yesterday that Jacqueline Courtney first started working for Mrs Holland in 2003.

She became her cleaner, working around four hours each week while also holding a part-time job at Plas-y-Garn Residential Home.

Jacqueline Courtney told the court she began spending more and more time with Mrs Holland, and said the two women “built up a bond”.

In November 2007, Mrs Holland arranged to see a solicitor and altered her will so that her house, grounds and contents were left to Jacqueline Courtney, but the defendant said she played “no part at all” in this decision.

The will was altered again in 2009 to make Jacqueline Courtney the sole beneficiary.

In May 2009, after Mrs Holland’s health had deteriorated, Jacqueline Courtney gave up her job at Plas-y-Garn Residential Home to become Mrs Holland’s full-time carer.

Stephen Courtney had also become Mrs Holland’s gardener by this time.

It is during this year that the prosecution allege Mrs Holland’s investments and savings were cashed, and then paid to the couple in cheques to the value of £54,568.01.

The Courtneys were arrested in February, 2010, after a concerned friend alerted authorities.

Jacqueline Courtney said yesterday that she and her husband would sometimes help Mrs Holland to write out cheques, and admitted filling in Mrs Holland’s signature, but only with her permission and when she was present.

These included large cheques paid to both Stephen and Jacqueline Courtney, which the prosecution allege came to the total of £54,568.01.

But Jacqueline Courtney said yesterday that these payments were part of a £45,000 “gift” from Mrs Holland after she gave up work for the care Jacqueline Courtney would provide.

Asked by prosecuting barrister Janet McDonald why the total amount moved from Mrs Holland to the Courtneys’ bank account came to more than £54,000 when the agreed amount was £45,000, Jacqueline Courtney said the extra money could have been from a loan Mrs Holland had paid to Stephen Courtney.

Proceeding.