‘Greedy’ carer went on shopping spree with dying ex-policeman’s bank cards

A hospital worker has been jailed for stealing and making purchases with a terminally ill man’s bank cards.

Rebecca Ellis, 49, stole two debit cards from former police inspector Fred Bromley, 66, as he lay dying with hip cancer in Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

West Midlands Police slammed her as ‘despicable and cowardly’.

Mr Bromley was admitted to A&E on February 20 last year when a cancerous hip joint dislocated, and the contactless cards were stolen from his overnight bag.

Ellis used one of them for a ‘test buy’ of biscuits at the on-site WHSmith shop.

She then went on to plunder money from Mr Bromley’s account, using the cards at various stores, including a £126 online order from Dorothy Perkins.

His daughter Anna noticed the cards had vanished and cancelled them after Ellis had abused them.

The care worker was eventually caught on hospital CCTV.

Rebecca Ellis using the stolen bank card to buy biscuits. A care assistant has been jailed for stealing bank cards from a dying patient and going on a spending spree while he lay terminally ill in hospital. See SWNS story SWMDcarer. Rebecca Ellis stole two debit cards from cancer patient Fred Bromley when he was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on 20 February 2020. Hours later she used one of the contactless cards to buy biscuits at an on-site WHSmith shop within the QE. And after that ?test purchase? succeeded she went on to use them at various stores plus ordered ?126 worth of clothes from Dorothy Perkins online. Mr Bromley?s daughter noticed the cards had vanished and cancelled them on 24 February but not before Ellis had taken a large amount of money from her dad?s accounts. Birmingham Magistrates Court heard Ellis stole them from Mr Bromley?s overnight bag in the A&E department after he was admitted to hospital due to a cancerous hip joint dislocating. — Rebecca Ellis pictured using the stolen bank card to buy biscuits (Picture: SWNS)

She was arrested on August 13 at her home in Smethwick, four miles east of Birmingham.

Investigators asked how she used a Nationwide card despite never having held an account with the bank.

But she refused to answer any of the 100-plus questions put to her in her police interview.

Rebecca Ellis. A care assistant has been jailed for stealing bank cards from a dying patient and going on a spending spree while he lay terminally ill in hospital. See SWNS story SWMDcarer. Rebecca Ellis stole two debit cards from cancer patient Fred Bromley when he was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on 20 February 2020. Hours later she used one of the contactless cards to buy biscuits at an on-site WHSmith shop within the QE. And after that ?test purchase? succeeded she went on to use them at various stores plus ordered ?126 worth of clothes from Dorothy Perkins online. Mr Bromley?s daughter noticed the cards had vanished and cancelled them on 24 February but not before Ellis had taken a large amount of money from her dad?s accounts. Birmingham Magistrates Court heard Ellis stole them from Mr Bromley?s overnight bag in the A&E department after he was admitted to hospital due to a cancerous hip joint dislocating. — Ellis used a terminally ill cancer patient’s bank cards (Picture: SWNS)

She denied theft and fraud but was found guilty at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. Today she was jailed for nine months at the city’s crown court.

Mr Bromley – a former West Midlands Police inspector – passed away not long after the crimes had taken place, following his cancer fight.

FILE PICTURE - GV of the A&E department at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. A care assistant has been jailed for stealing bank cards from a dying patient and going on a spending spree while he lay terminally ill in hospital. See SWNS story SWMDcarer. Rebecca Ellis stole two debit cards from cancer patient Fred Bromley when he was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on 20 February 2020. Hours later she used one of the contactless cards to buy biscuits at an on-site WHSmith shop within the QE. And after that ???test purchase??? succeeded she went on to use them at various stores plus ordered ??126 worth of clothes from Dorothy Perkins online. Mr Bromley???s daughter noticed the cards had vanished and cancelled them on 24 February but not before Ellis had taken a large amount of money from her dad???s accounts. Birmingham Magistrates Court heard Ellis stole them from Mr Bromley???s overnight bag in the A&E department after he was admitted to hospital due to a cancerous hip joint dislocating. — Retired inspector Mr Bromley was admitted to A&E when a cancerous hip joint dislocated (Picture: SWNS)

Detective constable Mark Bates said: ‘This is a despicable and cowardly act bought about by greed and the total disregard for the suffering of Mr Bromley in his final weeks.

‘Mr Bromley, on finding out he was a victim of fraud, was upset and disheartened as he trusted the staff at the QE Hospital.

‘Mr Bromley died not long after the offence. His daughter Anna is quite rightly disgusted by the actions of Ms Ellis and welcomes the prosecution.’

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‘Greedy’ carer went on shopping spree with dying ex-policeman’s bank cards

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