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A man who preyed on a vulnerable elderly victim, stealing jewellery worth £8,800, was handed an eight-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, at Boston Magistrates court on 15 April.
Andrew Gothard, 62, of Meadow Close, Chapel St Leonards, was found guilty of having stolen jewellery from the home of an elderly man whom Gothard had befriended.
On 27 April 2025, Gothard was first to arrive at the home of the elderly man who had sadly died. When the man’s relatives arrived, the property was discovered to be in a much messier state that they had expected, and some belongings, namely jewellery, appeared to be missing.
Suspecting that there may be attempts to sell items that were missing at local jewellery stores, the astute relative decided to visit jewellers putting them on notice that someone may attempt to sell items and provided descriptions.
Two days later, Police were called to a store on Lumley Road, Skegness, where some of the missing items were seized. The man, later confirmed to be Gothard, had attempted to sell the treasured possessions.
Gothard was arrested later that day at his home address, where he pointed Police to the remaining jewellery items that were missing.
Gothard’s defence was that he was told by the deceased man that he could have the jewellery.
The officer in charge of the case, Patrol and Response PC Josh Tunnicliffe said: “This was a calculated betrayal of trust. The offender deliberately exploited the friendship he’d established with a vulnerable elderly man for personal gain. I would like to pay tribute to the victim’s family for coming forward and supporting the investigation, and staff at the local store, which ultimately led to this successful prosecution.
“We would urge members of the public, particularly those who may live alone or be vulnerable, to be cautious when forming new friendships and to safeguard valuables at all times. If something does not feel right, trust your instincts and seek advice from family, friends, or the police. We encourage anyone with concerns about suspicious behaviour or potential exploitation to report it as early as possible so that we can take appropriate action.” | 
