A cocaine-addled carer addicted to online gambling has been jailed after stealing £75,000 from a trusting elderly couple she befriended.

Bill Gass, a Royal Navy veteran who served in Prince Philip‘s flotilla in the Second World War, and his wife Annie had ‘no inkling’ they were victims of what a judge branded a ‘dreadful offence’.

The couple regarded Rebecca Fidler, 34, as ‘extremely helpful’ – to the extent they let her make pension withdrawals using their bank cards. Retired shop manager Mrs Gass even left her money in her will.

In reality, Fidler cleaned out virtually their entire life savings between September 2019 and April 2021. 

Even after her arrest, the mother of three returned to Mr and Mrs Gass’s house in Carlisle in an attempt to find out what they had told police and asked them to ‘take the blame’. 

Bill Glass and Annie Glass, who were scammed out of most of their life savings, pictured before Mr Glass’s death in December 2022

Mother-of-three Rebecca Fidler, 34, mounted a ‘sophisticated’ attempt to cover her tracks, moving money within the victims’ accounts before transferring it into one in her maiden name of Armstrong

Mr Gass died last December – before Fidler could be brought to justice – but Mrs Gass, now 91, watched her be sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment via video link.

Mrs Gass told the Daily Mail: ‘She thought she’d get away with it. Everybody trusted her. The police came and told us [what happened], saying a lot of your money has come out the bank. She had looked after us well but she’d been pinching from the beginning. We didn’t realise.’

Carlisle Crown Court heard the stolen money cannot be found, much having been frittered away while Fidler’s home was extensively redecorated.

The couple’s son, Steve Gass, 67, said: ‘The fact she’s got away with all the money is rather annoying. When she gets out she’ll be laughing.’ 

The court heard Fidler mounted a ‘sophisticated’ attempt to cover her tracks, moving money within the victims’ accounts before transferring it into one in her maiden name of Armstrong.

She even returned to the couple’s home where Mrs Gass recalled her saying: ‘I’ve a favour to ask of you, Annie. I want you to take the blame.’ 

During Fidler’s sentencing last week, prosecutor Brendan Burke said: ‘The defendant befriended [Mr and Mrs Gass]. They regarded her as extremely helpful in her job.

‘They liked her and reposed in her complete trust.’

When bank employees first noted suspicious activity, Fidler initially claimed she was in control of their finances, the court was told.

Mr and Mrs Gass, who married in 1949 and celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary in 2019, were ‘devastated’ to learn their savings had dwindled to just £2,000.

Mr Burke referred to a statement by Mr Gass before his death, saying: ‘Both asked how they could they afford to survive.’

The couple’s bank has since partially reimbursed them although their son said £40,000 remains outstanding. 

Fidler, of Carlisle and who had no previous convictions, admitted theft. Andrew Evans, defending, said she self-medicated with cocaine due to undiagnosed bipolar disorder. 

He added: ‘Had this been done to her parents, she would have wanted the perpetrator to go to prison.’

Recorder Julian Shaw called the crime a ‘dreadful offence’.

He said: ‘You stole the money to feed your own addictions; to class A drugs and gambling and for nothing more than takeaway meals for your own personal gratification.’

Fidler may face further proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the money.