TWO women bought designer handbags, watches and jewellery after taking control of a Derbyshire 94-year-old's finances, it has been revealed.
Janet Miller, 72, and Margaret Johnson, 61, spent more than £230,000 of relative Gladys Meek's money on "gifts" and more than £45,000 in "expenses".
A civil court heard that the two women had been "oblivious to the seriousness of the situation" and now owe Mrs Meek's estate more than £200,000.
The duo, who are both from the Derby area, had been given the power to manage her financial affairs because she had dementia.
The pair had been granted anonymity by the Court of Protection – which handles cases relating to sick and vulnerable people.
But in a written judgment following the latest in a series of hearings at the court, David Hodge QC decided that they could be named after the death of Mrs Meek, who lived in a "small town in Derbyshire".
It has emerged that Mrs Miller was a niece of Mrs Meek's late husband Bert, who died in 1961, and Mrs Johnson a great niece.
Last year, a judgment in the case, revealed that gifts included an £18,000 Rolex watch, Vivenne Westwood handbags, rings and a £500 season ticket for Derby County.
The pair had also donated more than £50,000 of Mrs Meek's money to charities.
During this hearing, the women said they had made "gifts and donations" on behalf of Mrs Meek and her late daughter Barbara, who died in 2010. They said they thought the money was "as per" an earlier Court of Protection approval given to them.
The court approved spending of around £73,000 but said more than £200,000 had to be paid back and stripped them of their responsibility of managing Mrs Meek's finances. The pair were granted anonymity.
Last month, before Mrs Meek's death on April 21, Judge Hodge said the police did not need to be contacted but said a £275,000 security bond should be called in.
But in the latest judgment, Judge Hodge said the pair could now be named because Mrs Meek had died and revealing their identities would not pose a risk to anybody except themselves.
He said: "Mrs Miller and Mrs Johnson engaged in a course of conduct involving extravagant gifts, not only to charities, but also to themselves and members of their respective families, and involving the purchase of a motor car for each of them, computers, jewellery, watches, designer handbags and football season tickets, and involving very large transfers of cash."
