Cruel teen carer, 19, swiped stack of cash from 91-year-old man who had been saving thousands for his 70th wedding anniversary after learning she was pregnant

A teenager stole £2,000 saved by an elderly couple for their 70th wedding anniversary after finding out she was pregnant. 

Olivia Hannah, 19, pleaded guilty to theft at Warrington Combined Court after targeting John Shwenn, 91, and his wife Christina. 

The pensioner said the savings – which he said had totalled some £6,000 – were for a family cruise celebrating the elderly couple’s platinum wedding anniversary. 

He said in a statement read to the court: ‘It is very a hurtful thing when you befriend someone and treat them like a family member and they betray you and lie to your face. It’s unforgiveable. This has completely ruined my trust in most people.’ 

Hannah pounced when Mr Shwenn was taken to an appointment by his son, leaving his wife Christina, who was hard of hearing in the house alone with her.

It was then she rooted through the bedroom drawers for the cash they had saved for the milestone anniversary.

Olivia Hannah, 19, swiped a stack of cash John and Christina Shwenn had saved for their 70th wedding anniversary after finding out she was pregnant

Hannah, who was working for Warrington-based Premier Care at the time, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 20 rehabilitation days at Warrington Combined Court (seen)

Hannah, of Widnes, was at the couple’s home on September 2 last year as an employee of Warrington-based Premier Care – who let her go after she produced a stack of £2,000 when they pressed her about the missing money.

Prosecutor Jessica Pridding told Warrington Combined Court that Mr Shwenn realised something was wrong when he returned from his appointment with his son and the bed had been made – which was unusual.

This prompted him to check the drawers, when he said he saw £6,000 was missing. 

Mr Shwenn’s son contacted Premier Care, and a manager visited Hannah, who had been called to two other addresses. 

The court heard she was ‘reluctant’ to talk until she was told the police had been called, at which point she produced a bundle of £2,000, stolen from the Shwenns’ house.

Hannah was dismissed from her job and allowed to return home. Several days later, police searched her property but did not find the missing £4,000, and there were no suspicious deposits into her bank accounts.

The court agreed £4,000 remained missing – but Hannah maintained she had only taken the £2,000 which she later returned. 

This was disputed by the crown, but her claims were accepted at a hearing after magistrates decided the amount stolen would not make a ‘material difference’ to her sentence.

David Robb, defending, said: ‘The person in front of you is a young lady who made an absolutely foolish catastrophic error in her life. 

‘She went to work that day, she was stressed out because of the recent knowledge of becoming pregnant. She was wondering how she was going to make ends meet.

‘When she saw, sticking out of the drawer, a wedge of money, she took that money. It was one bundle, it had an elastic band around it, and it seems to be the bundle that she has given back.’

He maintained that Hannah, who has no previous convictions, had only taken £2,000 from the Shwenns. He added she had ‘no opportunity’ to give the missing £4,000 to anyone, had not hidden it, nor placed it in her bank account.

He continued: ‘She vows not to repeat the mistake she made on September 2. Obviously a catastrophic one as far as she is concerned, and she’s ashamed of herself for taking the amount that she did.’ 

Mr Robb also said she had a baby, which was ‘a factor to take into account’.

Sentencing Hannah – who pleaded guilty to theft – magistrate Robin Bradshaw said yesterday: ‘You have admitted the theft of £2,000 from a victim who you were a carer for. It was a significant breach of trust because it was in their own home. We have heard the large impact on the victim and his family.

‘It clearly crosses the custody threshold. Our consideration is if we impose an immediate custodial sentence, or suspend it. We will suspend it, so you will not go to prison today. But it is a serious offence and the consequences are serious as well. You have no previous convictions and it’s a shame you have lost your good character.’

He sentenced Hannah to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 20 rehabilitation days. He added that his ‘hands were tied’ regarding the amount of compensation he could award to the victims, as the court had accepted Hannah’s plea, and ordered her to pay £1,000 for the psychological harm caused.