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1 Jun
A nursing assistant and her mother were jailed today for “mean and despicable” offences against an elderly hospital patient.
Julie Anne Lemon, 45, and her 65-year old mother Claire Clarina Lemon were both jailed for eight month for offences against a “vulnerable and elderly” widow.
A third woman – Julie Anne’s 41-year-old sister Michelle Seenan – was issued with a six-month sentence, which was suspended for a year.
The 72-year old victim had her bank cards and house keys stolen whilst a patient on a ward at Belfast City Hospital in May 2019 by Julie Anne Lemon.
Her sister and mother became involved in further offending by burgling the pensioner’s home in Lisburn in June 2019.
Once inside, they stole bank documents from the property then used the stolen bank cards at an ATM on the Shankill Road and at CastleCourt.
As he jailed the mother and daughter at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Stephen Fowler QC spoke of the “degree of planning” that went into the “persistent” offending.
Citing Julie Anne Lemon as the most culpable, Judge Fowler spoke of “a blatant breach of trust in respect of a very ill and vulnerable woman”.
The Belfast Recorder said she stole the items whilst working as a nursing assistant, used hospital records to ascertain where the patient lived then burgled the pensioner’s home and removed money from her bank account.
Her actions, the Judge said, also “caused suspicion to fall another working on the ward”.
The pensioner was admitted to hospital in April 2019, and her handbag containing her purse and keys were placed in the ambulance with her.
Due to a deterioration in her health, she remained in hospital, and at the end of May it emerged her house keys and purse were missing.
On June 6, 2019 Julie Anne and Claire Lemon pulled up in a taxi and went into the pensioner’s Lisburn home.
The same thing occurred on June 11 and on this occasion it was Claire Lemon and her daughter Michelle Seenan who burgled the property.
As they left they were spoken to by neighbours, with Claire Lemon telling them she was the pensioner’s niece and her aunt would not be coming home as she was being moved to residential care.
This prompted the neighbours to contact the pensioner’s sister, who confirmed she didn’t have any nieces.
Family then attended the house, the locks were changed and the PSNI were informed. On June 14, two women were once again seen at the woman’s house, and on this occasion they were unable to gain access.
They left the area and after police were notified, they were arrested a short time later after boarding a bus.
The pair - Julie Ann and her mother - were searched and the older woman was found to be in possession of the pensioner’s bank cards.
Following their arrest, the pair initially denied any involvement, but later confessed.
Julie Ann Lemon, from Altnagarron Mews in West Belfast, admitted charges of theft, burglary, attempted burglary and two counts of fraud by false representation.
Her mother Claire Clarina Lemon, a grandmother-of-10 from Malvern Way in the city, admitted two counts of burglary, one attempted burglary and and seven counts of fraud by false representation.
Michelle Seenan, from Tyndale Gardens, was also arrested and admitted going to Lisburn with her mother once, and using the bank card three times - once to withdraw ÂŁ500 which was split three ways.
As he imposed sentences on all three women, Judge Fowler said he had taken into consideration their personal circumstances.
This included Julie Anne Lemon being the primary carer for her two children, and her ill physical and mental health.
Saying the custody threshold was “well and truly been surpassed” in her case, Judge Fowler imposed a 16-month sentence which he divided equally between prison and licence
Judge Fowler said he had also considered Claire Lemon’s health issues, which include dementia.
As he jailed her for eight months, the Judge said: “Her disability did not prevent her from becoming involved repeatedly in the present offending.
“She has relevant convictions and knew the burglary and thefts were committed against a sick and vulnerable old person.”
Seenan - who the Judge said was the least culpable and “heavily influenced by her mother and sister to become involved in the criminal enterprise” - was handed a six-month suspended sentence and was warned any further offending in the next 12 months could lead to immediate jail.