Court mercy for carer who stole uncle’s £17,000

Tuesday 22nd April 2008, 12:00AM BST.

A FORMER school caretaker who stole £17,300 from the illiterate and vulnerable uncle he had looked after for 20 years has been spared jail.

Francis William Loyer (56) appeared in the Royal Court on Friday after admitting that he had withdrawn up to £200 a week from the bank account of Cyril Derouet (79) without his know-ledge for three years.

Loyer was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Advocate Rhona Boddie, defending, said that her client was very sorry for what he had done and had paid back the entire sum he had stolen. She said that he had no previous convictions and that he had selflessly cared for his uncles for 25 years.

She added that Mr Derouet understood what Loyer had done and had forgiven him.

In announcing sentence, Deputy Bailiff Michael Birt said that the court had been convinced that it was an exceptional case and that a prison sentence could be avoided.

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