A FORMER warden of a Hindhead nursing home has pleaded guilty to stealing more than £200,000 from elderly and infirm residents.
Richard James Devereux (63) appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the 17 charges of theft from residents at Manormead Nursing and Residential home.
As his partner Gaby Devereux, who although unmarried recently changed her name by deed poll, watched and blew kisses from the public gallery, Devereux appeared calm and collected as he admitted to the thefts.
During the proceedings the court heard how Devereux, who moved to Exeter after his arrest, stole a total sum of £202,873.87 from five residents at the home between March 1996 and November 2000.
Crown prosecutor Michael Speak advised Judge Derek Inman that because some of the witnesses involved in the case had died since the charges were made and others were too frail and infirm to give evidence, DevereuxÕs pleas of not guilty to 12 similar charges should be accepted.
ÒThere is no doubt that the allegations against Mr Devereux were extremely serious He was the warden and administrator at the residential nursing home where by definition residents were elderly and in many cases extremely infirm,Ó said Mr Speak.
His dishonesty, continued Mr Speak, ran from 1996 until his arrest in March 2001 and what appears on the indictment are no more than specimens of his criminal conduct.
Relatives and friends of DevereuxÕs five victims Ð Ruby Napper, Cybil Richardson, William Richardson, Elizabeth Fairbairn, and Jean Marsh Ð looked on as legal discussions about confiscation and compensation orders unfolded.
Mr Speak said: ÒThis is a complicated situation because a significant amount of interest has accrued on the sum of Mr DevereuxÕs criminal earnings and there are issues of compensation for the victims and the families who would have been beneficiaries from the estates of the victims who have died since the thefts.Ó
Mr Speak added that the £248,000 total which had been relinquished by Devereux was being held by Haslemere solicitors Burley and Geach.
Defending Mr Devereux, Janice Brennan said that her client had expected to face sentencing, which would Òalmost certainly involve a custodial termÓ, that day.
ÒMr Devereux came here today expecting to receive a custodial sentence, and is obviously anxious for the matter to be dealt with as thoroughly but as swiftly as possible,Ó Mrs Brennan said.
But after an appeal by Mr Speak for more time to gather information about DevereuxÕs financial situation, including information about all of his assets, from the Central Confiscation Unit, His Honour Judge Inman announced a two-hour break in proceedings.
As a tense court resumed session, Mr Speak declared that he would like to submit a written report from the Central Confiscation Unit to all parties.
ÒWe could undertake to complete our enquiries within 28 days and to resume the case from there,Ó said Mr Speak.
He went on to ask that the case be adjourned until full reports had been completed.
A concerned Mrs Brennan told the court that Òthe anxiety of Mr Devereux to know his fate should be taken into considerationÓ and arrangements should be made to deal with the case Òas soon as possibleÓ.
ÒIt is, of course, a devastating blow to Mr Devereux to know that he may not be sentenced before this Christmas,Ó Mrs Brennan said.
Judge Inman agreed to adjourn the case until October 29, he granted Mr Devereux bail until the next hearing.
Judge Inman also told the court that charges against Devereux will also be heard at the High Court, Chancery Division which has greater powers to deal with the estates of the deceased.