Council secures £145k proceeds of crime order against man who defrauded own mother

Robert Catlow was using his mother’s money to support his business and personal expenses, according to Calderdale Council.

The prosecution centred around the findings of an investigation carried out by West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS), which is a shared service for statutory consumer protections for five West Yorkshire councils, covering Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

Calderdale said Catlow had Lasting Power of Attorney for his mother, who was unable to manage her own finances.

The trading standards investigation revealed that Catlow was using his mother's funds for his own business and to run his home, the council said.

Catlow appeared at Bradford Crown Court in April 2024 and received a two-year sentence, suspended for two years and 30 rehabilitation days, after pleading guilty to charges relating to abusing his position of trust as legal power of attorney and defrauding his mother out of a substantial amount of money.

In addition to the proceeds of crime order, Catlow must also pay £52,000 in compensation to Calderdale Council so that his mother's outstanding care home fees can be paid as well as £10,000.00 in prosecution costs.

Cllr Silvia Dacre, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: "Fraud can have a huge impact on people, causing both emotional trauma and financial hardship. With our partners we will do everything we can to hold those responsible to account and provide justice to victims."

Linda Davis, Head of Trading Standards, Protecting Communities and WYFEAT said: “Robert Catlow was in a significant position of trust, and he abused that position, using his mother’s money to finance his own lifestyle and business and leaving her without money for anything such as personal care items.

"The Proceeds of Crime Act allows us to recoup a criminal’s benefit from crime through confiscation orders and we will pursue and recover assets of those involved in this type of offending.”

Adam Carey