A SCHEMING aunt who fleeced £52,000 of her nephew's inheritance has been jailed. Rhona Haslam, 51, plundered the money from a trust fund set up for Robert Simpson by his dad shortly before he died.

Over five years Haslam made 26 withdrawals by forging the signature of Robert's mum Janet - leaving him with less than £300. She spent the money on clothes and goods at high street stores including Debenhams, Next and JD Sports.

Haslam and Robert's mother Janet were trustees of the fund set up by Robert's dad - also called Robert - before he died aged 41 after an illness in 1994 when his son was just four.

At Bolton Crown Court, mum-of-two Haslam, 51, of Hazelmere, Kearsley, near Bolton, was jailed for three years after she pleaded guilty to forgery, obtaining property by deception and three counts of obtaining money by deception.

Horrendous

A detective described the case as 'one of the most horrendous breaches of trust I have had the misfortune to investigate in my 30 year career'. A judge called her conduct 'despicable' and said it went against the 'normal instincts of human nature'.

Robert, now 20, of Kirkhope Walk, Halliwell, Bolton, said he had disowned his aunt - his dad's sister - after learning of her deception. Today the fund, which was due to mature when he reached 25, would have been worth nearly £80,000.

Haslam, who has worked for the Inland Revenue and was working in human resources for Lancashire Care Mental Health Trust, could be forced to pay back all the money which she spent on clothes and goods at high street stores. Her assets have been frozen pending a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act and she could lose her home.

Victim

A senior police source told the M.E.N: "There is about £100,000 equity in it. The whole idea is that the victim will get his money back. It will not go to the government or the police but to him."

The court heard, however, that her home had been put up for sale. Robert, who was planning his future with his partner when Haslam's fraud came to light, said she had betrayed the trust his dad had placed in her.

He said: "She never thought about my father's wishes and I find that sickening. It is awful and she just did not care about my father's will and what he wanted.

"I do not class her as my aunt. I am sure that my father would be sickened and disgusted."

Executor

Mr Simpson, who died from peritonitis and a perforated ulcer, appointed his sister Haslam and his partner at the time, Robert's mum Janet, as trustees. Haslam was also an executor of his estate.

The sum was made up from his pension at Chloride Batteries in Over Hulton, near Salford. The court was told that signatures of both trustees were required to withdraw money. Robert asked his mother Janet, 45, to check the balance of the account last year 'but was left stunned to read a statement saying it contained just £292'.

Robert said 'alarm bells' began to ring immediately. Haslam never withdrew more than £5,000 as that would have triggered further investigations. Robert said: "I was looking at buying my own property so we had a look at the balance. They said there was only around £300 in it. My mum asked for a statement. They sent a statement saying there had been substantial withdrawals.

"I asked for a list of all the withdrawals and they had my mum's signature on them, which was wrong and couldn't possibly be right. My mum changed her name by remarrying and they looked nothing like my mum's signature. At first I just felt sick.

Angry

"We thought it was my aunt. I just could not believe that anybody could have done such a thing to their nephew at the end of the day. It was horrible and I was angry and I wanted my money back."

The court heard Haslam's first withdrawal was made in February 1998. Her fraud continued until June 2003. In each withdrawal a request was made either for a cheque to be raised in Robert's name then sent to Haslam's home or for money to be transferred to other accounts.

Haslam claimed to police that she was in a 'financial black hole' and stole to pay off debts, the court heard. Det Con Richard Armstrong said: "Without word of a lie, this is one of the most horrendous breaches of trust I have had the misfortune to investigate in my 30-year career.

"Robert was aware from a young age that his father had made financial provision for his future and was looking forward to having a good start to his adult life with few financial worries.

"That dream has been shattered by Haslam, who has left him just a couple of hundred pounds."

Robert, who can remember very little about his dad, said he is determined to get his money back. He said: "The main thing I wanted to do was buy a decent house, furniture and perhaps a car. I was going to save the rest for a rainy day.

Betray

"Haslam owns the property where she lives so she could be forced to sell that to give me the money back. She will also have to pay me the interest back.

"I know that my aunt has two sons and I would never hold anything against them but I can never forgive her.

"I find it unbelievable that she could betray my father's trust. My family and friends have been great about it all. I have had their strength throughout it all.

"I want my money back and I want her to be held accountable."

Paul Tongue, defending, added: "The defendant has always known there would be a day of reckoning. It is a shadow that has been lurking over her shoulder for the past six or seven years."

Recorder Graham Knowles QC said: "Your conduct was, it seems to me, callous, systematic and cruel."

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