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Reverend Edward Andrew Morris held the pensioner’s funeral shortly after trying to con her out of thousands (Picture: BPM Media) |
A reverend
who tried to con a 96-year-old woman out of £5,000 conducted her funeral just a
month later. Mavis Pennack trusted Reverend Edward Andrew Morris, 62, so much
she included him in her will.
Morris
pleaded guilty to fraud at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court by abusing his
position in the parish of Bestwood, Nottinghamshire.
The
reverend, who is known as Andy to his parishioners, was told the case was so
serious he would be sentenced by a crown court judge.
He is
accused of fraudulent activity between December 11, 2016 and January 6, the
following year, at Hall Park Care Home, in Bulwell.
Mrs Pennack
died in February, 2017, a month after the fraud ended. Stepdaughter Sheila
Smith, 82, called the reverend’s actions ‘abominable’.
She said:
‘For a man of the cloth to do that is abominable.
This is very
wrong but he is very plausible. ‘He conducted her funeral and is even mentioned
in the will. We could just not believe it.’
She said
suspicions were raised when dealing with Mrs Pennack’s papers after her death.
‘My sister and I worked through bank statements and wondered why she seemed to
keep taking out money.
‘We thought
it was her care home fees but they were paid by direct debit,’ added Mrs Smith,
a retired audit clerk.
Morris was
told that ‘while occupying a position, namely as reverend of the parish of
Bestwood, Church of England, in which you were expected to safeguard, or not
act against, the financial interests of Joan Mavis Pennack, you dishonestly
abused that position intending to make a gain, namely £5,000, for yourself’.
Details of
the case were not outlined but District Judge Leo Pyle discussed the range of
sentences which available, before granting unconditional bail to Morris. He
sent the case to the crown court where Morris is due to appear on October 22.
Morris has
been suspended from his post as Vicar in the Benefice of St. Matthew with St.
Philip, Bestwood.
A spokesman
for the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham said: ‘We took action as soon as
this was brought to our attention and have worked closely with police and the
statutory authorities to support their investigation.
‘The
safeguarding and protection of vulnerable people is our highest priority.
We are
deeply sorry for what has happened and offer an unreserved apology to everyone
who has been affected by this crime.’
Source: Metro.co.uk
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