The co-accused in a $1.2 million theft trial faced a barrage of claims yesterday from the prosecution that she and her husband took cash from elderly clients that was meant for their care.

Keiva Maronie Durham, 44, and her husband, Jaymo Durham, 55, face charges of stealing the money from four elderly women, who were clients of Ageing and Disability Services, over a seven-year spell.

They also face charges of making and using false statements over the same period, between February 23, 2012 and July 31, 2019. Both have pleaded not guilty to all alleged offences.

Mrs Durham was questioned in the witness box at the Supreme Court for almost two and a half hours by Paula Tyndale for the Crown.

The four alleged victims are Doreen Stevens, Nancy Locke, and Muriel and Loretta Smith.

Mr and Mrs Durham acted as receivers for the women, handling their accounts and affairs.

Ms Tyndale said: “Now, in relation to Ms Stevens’s receivership in general, I’m going to suggest both you and your husband then put yourselves in charge for Ms Stevens’s trusts.

“I am suggesting you and your husband amassed for yourselves her resources beyond anything that was needed for her care.”

After Mrs Durham denied the suggestion, the prosecutor claimed that she and her husband received and used Ms Stevens’s money for their businesses, which Mrs Durham again denied.

Ms Tyndale insisted Mrs Durham used the funds to pay for office ventilation and added: “I suggest to you that you used her money to pay for the Bar Association.”

Mrs Durham said: “I don’t recall.”

She then denied Ms Tyndale’s accusations that the couple used Ms Stevens’s money to pay the rent on their businesses on multiple occasions.

When also asked about using the alleged victim’s cash to pay pension contributions for herself and staff, Mrs Durham stated: “That, I don’t recall.”

Finally, Ms Tyndale put it to Mrs Durham: “You also used her money, and this is the most significant misuse of the money, in the lending of her money to your friends and other associates without any security.”

The witness responded by saying that she did not agree with that claim. Mrs Durham then stated that she knew more about promissory notes, which are legally binding written guarantees to repay money owed under certain terms and times.

The trial continues.

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