Ray Thomson says he hasn't only lost his life savings, but also his daughter and some of his grandchildren as a result. His daughter, Helen Christine Williams, was sentenced to 12 months' home detention in January last year after she pleaded guilty to stealing $320,000 from her elderly father, Ray Thomson. Joan Gibbs, of the Ministry of Justice's collections department, told the New Plymouth District Court Williams still owed $312,772.75. Judge Sygrove told Williams he could not impose a prison sentence on her if she didn't have the means to pay the reparation herself. Too frail to make the trip to court himself, Ray Thomson heard the outcome from his son afterwards.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 20, 2017 22:08 UTC