A WOMAN accused of helping to defraud her children out of £60,000 inheritance told a court the youngsters were happy to pay for food, bills and holidays.

The mother, 38, stands accused with her partner, 45, of swindling their two teenage children out of £30,000 each, left to them by their grandfather. The children cannot be identified.

Both are charged with two counts of fraud by abuse of position and one count of converting criminal property.

They deny the charges.

Yesterday, the mother took to the stand at Newport Crown Court. Asked about some of the outgoings from the children’s accounts, which included to Waitrose, Tesco, council tax and household bills, she said all the money spent was agreed by the children and they were happy to do it.

She said despite her suggestion the inheritance be paid into one joint account for the children, her brother, an executor of their father’s estate, said it must be paid into individual accounts, making sure everything was “done by the book”.

She denied telling her children they were simply looking after the money for her and her partner and said there was never any pressure put on them to use it to pay for bills. She said the children were even happy to pay for a family holiday.

Proceeding