The family of a 101-year-old man who was swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars said they were pleased his former caregiver is now behind bars and hope that she will be added to an elderly abuse register.

On Monday Gaynette Holder was convicted of 14 counts of stealing $32,000 from George Welch when he was 98 and she was hired to care for him.

Last night Mr. Welch's niece Esther James-Liverpool, of Memphis Tennessee, told The Royal Gazette it had been a long and painful process, but one she was happy she stuck with.

"It is the reason I pursued the legal option," she said. "I want other people to be protected from her. It has been a frustrating four years, and hurtful things have been said about me in court, but I am happy with the outcome.

"There were times when I wanted to walk away from the legal process but I am glad I did not. I wanted to make sure she could not do this again. I want her put on the elderly abuse register because there is no way she should be able to work with the elderly again.

"It is not just a crime but a tragedy. She was put in a position of trust and robbed him of his money and his dignity."

However, because Holder was never charged with senior abuse her name will not be added to the Senior Abuse Register. The register is a Government database to be set up listing the names of offenders convicted under the same law of abusing elderly people. [For the full story on the register turn to page 8]

Mr. Welch is currently in Tennessee with his niece and will remain there for the Christmas holidays. He is not aware of the legal proceedings, or its outcome, nor did he testify in court.

On Monday Holder was sentenced to a year in prison on each count, to run concurrently.

Acting Magistrate Graveney Bannister ordered Holder to pay restoration to her victim. Holder was ordered to pay back $8,856.46 before February 28, 2010 and an additional $23,250 before May 2010.

During the court case Crown Council Prosecutor Robert Welling told the court that during 2005 when Holder looked after Mr. Welch, his life savings of more than $110,000 were depleted to less than $20,000.

Mrs James-Liverpool flew to Bermuda in February 2005 to meet with Holder, who was working for the We Care home help agency, before hiring her to clean and cook meals for Mr. Welch.

But Holder managed to secure the elderly man's power of attorney by June and the following month he began employing her directly, dispensing with the agency.

"This gave Gaynette total and absolute control over his life and in doing so, we say, she abused her power of attorney," he told the court.

He added that Holder, of Park Lane, Pembroke, "plundered" the senior's bank accounts to draw money to pay off her debts and bills and bought jewellery and furniture for herself and her family, as well as stealing the pensioner's belongings.

Yesterday, her lawyer Marc Daniels said they planned to appeal the conviction.

l Lessons to be learned – Page 8