A Hobart man who stole $280,000 from his sick and widowed mother aged in her 90s, leaving her unable to pay her nursing homes fees, has been sentenced to almost three years’ jail. Ronald Peter Walker, 71, was given the power of attorney over the estate of his mother, Rena Walker, in June 2009 after she was assessed as having dementia and no longer capable of looking after herself. The Hobart Supreme Court heard that in the week between Walker being given power over his mother’s affairs and when she moved into the nursing home, he illegally transferred about $105,000 into accounts belonging to him and his two children. Over the next two years the illegal transfers continued with Walker taking another $177,000, including the proceeds from the sale of his mother’s home. Justice Michael Brett said Walker had a duty to deal with his mother’s assets with the utmost good faith and to apply it in her interest, not his. The court heard at the time the power of attorney was granted, Mrs Walker had a bank account containing almost $140,000. The shortfall between her pension and the nursing home fees was about $850 a month, which was paid for by direct debits from her account. About two months after Mrs Walker moved into the nursing home, her house in Berriedale was sold and the net proceeds of about $190,000 were paid into a different bank account opened by Walker in his mother’s name. Walker’s crimes only came to light after Mrs Walker was moved into a nursing home and there was not enough money in her account to pay her fees.
