Cleaner admits jewellery thefts

A domestic cleaner stole jewellery worth thousands of pounds from Spalding and Boston homes she worked in.

Aimee Ward had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and denied a further two.

But appearing at Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, she changed her mixed pleas to admit all four offences between December 1, 2021 and February 8, 2022.

The hearing was told that the 37-year-old worked for Manor Housekeeping Services between August
2021 and February 2022.

Prosecutor Shelley Wilson said: “On February 7 (last year) Danielle King attended Boston Police Station reporting that she believed her employee had stolen some jewellery.”

It emerged that three clients had been victims.

In the Spalding area, Nicola Jowett had two rings worth £5,000 stolen and Sharon Morris lost a ring worth £600.

Ward, of Kitwood Road, sold the items to Matthewman Family Jewellers in Boston. Mrs Jowett’s rings were recovered and returned to her but Mrs Morris’s were not, the court heard.

Ward stole two rings worth £700 from Amy Lawson’s home in Boston. Again, they were sold to the jeweller and not recovered.

And the defendant also took a chain and four rings from the Boston home of a friend, Neil Greswell.

The chain and one ring were recovered from the jeweller’s.

Miss Wilson said that Ward told police in interview that the offences were “just a thought that she felt she had to do” and she had tried to get the items back from the jeweller’s.

In mitigation, Helen Coney said there was a degree of trust and responsibility in her client’s role in people’s homes.

Ward’s mental health declined and her medication increased, the court was told.

“She effectively heard a voice in her head saying ‘just do it,’” said Miss Coney.

Committing Ward to Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing on a date to be fixed, District Judge Pete Veits said: “This is a serious breach of trust.

“People who employ cleaners have a right to expect them to be trustworthy and not to be stealing jewellery and selling it off.”

The defendant was granted unconditional bail to the next hearing.