A CROOKED carer who was jailed after fleecing a vulnerable and blind Second World War veteran from Halesowen out of nearly £250,000 has failed in her bid to appeal.

Veronica Robinson had attempted to obtain leave to appeal against both her conviction and five-and-a-half year sentence.

However, Mr Justice Green refused her application when it appeared at London’s Appeal Court.

The 62-year-old, whose address was given at her trial as High Haden Road, Cradley Heath, was found guilty following a trial in March last year of fraud and perverting the course of justice, following a lengthy investigation led by Dudley Council’s trading standards team.

The court heard she began cleaning the house of a 93-year-old dementia sufferer in 2013.

She then took control of the victim’s life – claiming to be his carer and isolating him from family, friends and neighbours who had previously helped care for him at his home in Halesowen.

Robinson then went on to manipulate the man into paying for a £190,000 house for her, as well as regularly plundering his bank account and his life savings.

She also falsified a document put before a court in a bid to cover her tracks after what she was doing was discovered.

Following the case, Dudley Council introduced a borough-wide £100,000 scam busters scheme, investing in extra trading standards staff dedicated to tackling financial crime targeting the elderly and vulnerable.

Councillor Ruth Buttery, cabinet member responsible for trading standards, said: “Veronica Robinson committed a despicable crime, taking advantage of an extremely vulnerable man to dupe him out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“Our trading standards team worked tirelessly to bring her to justice and we were satisfied with the lengthy prison sentence handed out.

“We welcome the decision from the Appeal Court in London to refuse her leave to appeal, as no doubt will his family.

“As a council we are extremely committed to protecting residents of the borough from financial exploitation.

“This case should serve as a warning of the potential consequences to those who are thinking about exploiting people.

“We will do all we can to prevent abuse of this nature.”

Anyone with concerns about an adult they feel may be at risk of harm or abuse can report them to Dudley Safeguarding by calling 0300 555 0055 and selecting option 1. It can also be reported online at safeguarding.dudley.gov.uk/adult/