A BLAENAVON woman, who admitted writing herself cheques worth £41,000 from her war veteran great uncle’s cheque book, was ordered to pay back just £5.

Hayley Price, 42, of Brynavon, previously pleaded guilty to 12 counts of forgery, using her great uncle, Arthur Edwards' cheque book to write 154 cheques to herself.

She was given a 52-week sentence suspended for two years, a 12-month supervision order and 200 hours unpaid work after a trial of issue in August.

Price appeared in Cardiff crown court yesterday for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, where the court heard she gained £41,103.14 from the offences.

Prosecutor Ruth Smith said Price has no assets and invited Judge David Wynn Morgan to make a confiscation order for a nominal amount between £1 and £5.

Judge Morgan ordered Price to pay £5 by December 8.

Mr Edwards’ niece, Jayne Edwards said the hearing brought an end to a very difficult time for her uncle.

She said: “He will never see his money again and the fact that a member of his own family stole from him is very sad. I don't have a sense of justice and I'm worried for other people because it's sending out the wrong message - it's flabbergasting.

“I’m aware that she doesn't have any assets and that the money was spent over a number of years on living so I didn’t expect anything different. I’m disappointed for my uncle that the system doesn’t allow for him to get the money back, but that’s the system.”

The trial of issue hearing was told Price visited her great uncle at his home in Blaenavon and also at his former nursing home, The Beeches, where she would cook, clean and run errands for him.

Price claimed a proportion of the money from the cheques was for the direct benefit of her uncle, to pay for things such as newsagents; bills, building work to the house and the “Lifeline” emergency service.

She said cheques were made with her uncle’s permission for her to buy the goods he needed and to deal with his affairs.

Ms Smith told the trial of issue hearing all of Mr Edwards’ expenses were met through his pension and his bills were paid by direct debit.

Sentencing Judge Morgan said Price did a “wicked, wicked thing.”