Ann Comer

Ann Comer, a 58-year-old woman from Waterfield Road, Hereford, was convicted of six counts of fraud by abuse of position at Worcester Crown Court on July 6, 2026. Her offenses relate to her time as a manager at Springfield House, a dementia care home in Malvern, which she joined in April 2016.

The fraud came to light in 2019 when police received reports that Comer was suspected of using a bank card belonging to a resident with dementia to make withdrawals and purchases. Although Comer denied the offense during her interview, an investigation by West Mercia Police's Economic Crime Unit (ECU) revealed that she had moved the victim into the care home before stealing her bank card. Comer subsequently withdrew an average of £1,400 per month from cash machines and used the card in stores to support her lifestyle, including making withdrawals the day before a holiday to Dubai. In total, Comer stole approximately £22,500 from her victim. Officers were able to establish a link between the cash withdrawals and Comer's use of a Matalan store card, which helped prove the fraud.

Ann Comer was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is scheduled to take place at a future date. Detective Constable Conal O'Leary of the ECU stated that Comer abused her position of trust to defraud a vulnerable person of a significant sum of money to fund her own lifestyle.