An aged care worker accused of swindling a blind pensioner out of more than $300,000 has had her charges dismissed after a magistrate said there was a lack of evidence. Coomba Park woman Robyn Ann McMinn, 65, appeared in the Downing Centre Court on Monday facing seven charges of defrauding Richmond resident Ann Parker out of $312,950 from 2014 to 2017. The court heard the pair were friends and had an arrangement for Ms McMinn to provide Ms Parker with in-home support and care. The agreement involved Ms Parker providing Ms McMinn with authority to withdraw up to $10,000 per week from her bank and pensioner accounts to pay for grocery shopping, bills and other household goods. In his ruling, Magistrate Garry Still said there was insufficient evidence Ms McMinn accessed the accounts to dishonestly obtained funds over the three year period. The court heard Ms McMinn provided Ms Parker with receipts and change from items purchased on her behalf. “Ms Parker said she authorised sums of $1000 and $5000 to be taken out of her accounts each week, twice a week. But the accounts show $600-800 a couple of times a week,” Magistrate Still said. “The amounts withdrawn are not inconsistent with the purchase of food, bills, the purchase of cigarettes which appears to have been in the order of $150 twice a week and the purchase of other items — ovens, chairs, vacuums, household goods and linen. “There were also suggestions made that Ms McMinn was gambling via poker machines but there’s no direct evidence … the money withdrawn was used for such purposes. “(The charges) cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.” Ms McMinn pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was granted bail after her arrest in Foster in October, 2018.
