Two women jailed for stealing over £600k from deceased people's estates

Two women have been jailed for stealing over £600k from deceased people's estates.

Laurna Porter, 69, Tamworth, was jailed for four years today (Thursday 25 April) at Stafford Crown Court. She pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and money laundering at the same court in October 2022.

Julie Atkins, 68, of Tamworth, was also jailed today, for two and a half years, after she was found guilty of money laundering on 5 February 2024 following a trial at Stafford Crown Court.

Porter and Atkins were both arrested at their home addresses on 10 April 2018.

A total of 23 estates have been found to have had money stolen from them.

Laurna Porter was a probate manager employed by a law practice and a firm of solicitors in Tamworth. Whilst working there, Porter stole in excess of £600,000 from various clients through a variety of means. In the majority of these cases, proceeds of the estates of the deceased have initially been diverted by Porter to the accounts of her friend Julie Atkins.

Evidence showed that thefts had taken place in estates handled by Porter between 2006 and 2018. Money was paid into Julie Atkins bank account who would then share some of that money back to Laurna Porter’s bank account.

Restriction orders were imposed on the finances of both women.

DS Andrew Shorthouse, the officer in the case, of Staffordshire Police, said: “We welcome the Judges sentences given to Laurna Porter and Julie Atkins today.

“The fraud was targeted and systematic over a long period of time and could not have been successful without the repeated dishonest actions of both.

“Porter held a position where trust had to be placed in her by those whose estates she managed; that trust was breached.”

Specialist Prosecutor Anamarie Coomansingh from the CPS said: “This was a calculated fraud over a period of 13 years, which generated a significant amount of money.

“Laurna Porter breached her legal duties as a probate manager and abused her position of trust in taking funds from life-saving charities, as well as from families of the deceased.

“It must have been particularly distressing for the families and friends, who simply want to see their loved one’s last wishes properly executed.

“The CPS will now seek to recover any available criminal proceeds from the defendants, in order to compensate the beneficiaries.”