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지적 장애를 가진 40대 환자의 예금을 자기 돈처럼 물쓰듯 쓴 인면수심의 활동보조원이 징역형을 선고 받으면서 울음을 터뜨렸다.
지난 15일 영국 현지 언론에 따르면, 영국 남서부 펨브룩셔 지방의 엘리엇츠 힐 요양원 소속 활동보조원인 로라 니콜스(26)는 자신이 맡은 피보호자인 리처드 우드로(41)가 평생 모은 돈 약 1만 파운드 (1800만원)을 40-50번에 걸쳐 인출해 개인 용도로 착복했다.
우드로는 지적 장애가 있어 24시간 생활보조원의 보조가 필요하며, 현금 인출 비밀번호 등을 외우지 못하기 때문에 담당 생활보조팀의 리더인 니콜스가 그의 현금인출 카드 및 비밀번호 등을 맡아 관리해왔다고 영국 매체인 데일리메일과 익스프레스가 보도했다.
재판에서 니콜스는 우드로의 예금을 인출해 자신의 대출 상환과 생계비로 지출했다고 주장했다. 그러나 이 같은 진술은 엘리 모건 검사가 “경찰 수색팀이 니콜스의 부모 집에 숨겨져 있던 니콜스의 수많은 옷과 구두, 핸드백 등을 발견했다”고 힐난하면서 새빨간 거짓임이 드러났다. 특히 현지 언론은 수단 방법 가리지 않는 니콜스의 “패션에 대한 욕망(love of fashion)”을 비난했다.
익스프레스의 보도에 따르면, 니콜스를 대변하는 변호인은 니콜스가 연인과 헤어지고 우울증을 겪으면서 수입이 줄어드는 등 개인적으로 “위태로운 시기”에 빠져 있었으며, 부업으로 바텐더로 일했음에도 불구하고 “버는 것보다 더 쓰는” 기형적 소비행태를 보인 것이라며 선처를 호소했던 것으로 전해졌다. 또, 스트레스로 “술을 마시거나 방안에 틀어박히는” 등, 자력으로 난관을 타개할 정신적 역량을 발휘하기 힘든 상황이었다며 집행 유예를 내려줄 것을 요청했다.
그러나 재판을 주재한 아이언 로이드 존스 판사는 니콜스를 향해 “당신은 수십 번이나 피해자의 돈을 유용했다”고 나무랐다.
또 판사는 니콜스에게 “당신은 심지어 인출을 더욱 용이하게 하기 위해 (우드로의) 개인저축계좌에 있던 돈을 현재의 구좌로 옮기기까지 했다. 이 사건은 신뢰를 저버리고 지속적으로 침해 행위를 계속한 점에서 (죄질이 매우 나쁘다.) 당신의 임무가 그를 돌보는 것이지, 돈을 빼앗는 것이냐”고 질시하며 징역형을 선고하자, 니콜스는 울음을 터뜨렸다.
한편, 우드로가 착복 당한 예금은 니콜스가 범행 당시 소속돼 있던 엘리엇츠 힐 요양원이 선지급하기로 했다.
코리아헤럴드 정주원 기자 (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)
<관련 영문 기사>
Female caretaker jailed for squandering patient’s life savings
A British caretaker was tried and put in jail for spending her vulnerable patient’s life savings on a shopping spree, local media reported on Saturday.
Laura Nichols, 26, stole about 10,000 pounds ($16,650) from the savings of Richard Woodrow, a 41-year-old patient with learning difficulties, to buy clothes, shoes and handbags, the Express reported.
The mentally disabled patient needed 24-hour care at an Elliots Hill care home in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, and needed helpers to withdraw or dispense his money. As the team head of Woodrow’s caretakers, Nichols was entrusted with the patient’s bank card and PIN numbers.
Nichols’ theft surfaced after another carer took over her job, according to the report.
While Nichols told police that she withdrew money from the patient’s account “40 or 50 times” to pay off loans and bills, the prosecutors alleged in the trial that police found “clothes, shoes and handbags at her parents’ house,” the Daily Mail reported.
The disgraced caretaker reportedly wept bitterly during the court hearing when recorder Ian Wyn Lloyd Jones explained why he was not suspending her sentence, saying: “On dozens of occasions you helped yourself to the victim’s money.”
The recorder was also quoted as saying, “You even transferred his Isa into a current account to get access to it. This was repeated offending by someone in a position of trust. You were there to look after him, not to take his money.”
From news reports (khnews@heraldcorp.com)
Female caretaker jailed for squandering patient’s life savings
A British caretaker was tried and put in jail for spending her vulnerable patient’s life savings on a shopping spree, local media reported on Saturday.
Laura Nichols, 26, stole about 10,000 pounds ($16,650) from the savings of Richard Woodrow, a 41-year-old patient with learning difficulties, to buy clothes, shoes and handbags, the Express reported.
The mentally disabled patient needed 24-hour care at an Elliots Hill care home in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, and needed helpers to withdraw or dispense his money. As the team head of Woodrow’s caretakers, Nichols was entrusted with the patient’s bank card and PIN numbers.
Nichols’ theft surfaced after another carer took over her job, according to the report.
While Nichols told police that she withdrew money from the patient’s account “40 or 50 times” to pay off loans and bills, the prosecutors alleged in the trial that police found “clothes, shoes and handbags at her parents’ house,” the Daily Mail reported.
The disgraced caretaker reportedly wept bitterly during the court hearing when recorder Ian Wyn Lloyd Jones explained why he was not suspending her sentence, saying: “On dozens of occasions you helped yourself to the victim’s money.”
The recorder was also quoted as saying, “You even transferred his Isa into a current account to get access to it. This was repeated offending by someone in a position of trust. You were there to look after him, not to take his money.”
From news reports (khnews@heraldcorp.com)
