By Sarah Marshall
Crime and court reporter
Janet Rutt, 56, has been sentenced to two years in prison after exploiting her relationship with an elderly victim to steal thousands of pounds. Rutt preyed on the trust of the victim, who has since passed away, using the stolen money for personal shopping trips and to fund her daily expenses.
Rutt’s actions were uncovered through a thorough investigation that included financial analysis and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) work, which exposed her lies. Despite initially denying the accusations, stating she visited the victim up to three times a week to provide care, Rutt’s story fell apart when the ANPR records showed that her visits were far less frequent than claimed.
Financial investigations revealed Rutt had been systematically draining the victim’s savings and pension income for her own benefit. She also cancelled bank statements being sent to the victim’s address to conceal the thefts, while assuring the elderly woman that her money was in safe hands.
Rutt further manipulated the victim by portraying her as more vulnerable than she actually was to gain control over her finances through a Power of Attorney. She arranged for the victim to write a will, which left everything to Rutt. The fraudster also convinced the victim to sell her house and move in with Rutt, which would have allowed her to continue accessing the victim’s finances.
Rutt’s spending spree was finally exposed when the victim asked her nephew to take her to the bank, only to discover that her account had been emptied. Further investigation led to the discovery of missing personal documents, including birth and marriage certificates, at Rutt’s home.
After initially denying the charges, Rutt changed her plea to guilty of fraud by abuse of position. On June 4, 2024, she was sentenced to two years in prison at Sheffield Crown Court for her crimes.
PC Lynn Robins, who led the investigation, expressed her satisfaction with the conviction, noting that Rutt had shown no remorse for her actions. “Rutt took advantage of a vulnerable person and showed no regard for the trust that had been placed in her,” said Robins. “Thanks to the hard work of our forensic accountant, the full extent of her fraud was revealed.”
Rutt’s victim’s family has expressed their devastation over the loss, with the victim’s nephew stating, “Rutt has not only taken my aunt’s money but has caused immeasurable pain to our family.”
