ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A St. John’s woman was released from custody on bail late last week on the condition that she leave town within 48 hours.
Lori Willmott, 40, was arrested after allegedly breaching a court order to stay away from alcohol and places that sell it. The alleged breach happened Jan. 18; the order had been made four days earlier.
Willmott has almost two dozen charges before the court, including allegations she assaulted a man; ignored a court order to stay away from him and assaulted him again; defrauded the Royal Bank of Canada, Ultramar, Needs Convenience and Shoppers Drug Mart of amounts under $5,000; made a fake cheque and attempted to cash it at Money Mart, and possessed a stolen VISA card. Willmott has also been charged with defrauding and stealing from another man two days after Christmas.
Willmott was reportedly a homecare worker, and that man — who is said to have been 101 years old — was allegedly her client.
Willmott bent over in the dock and sighed with relief when Judge Lois Skanes said she was being released to await her next court appearance on Feb. 4, but this time she’s been given stricter orders.
Skanes told Willmott she had to leave St. John’s and arrive at the home of a family member in a community on the south coast of the province within 48 hours of leaving the lockup. Wilmott is also ordered to live in the home and to abide by a curfew, and she’s banned from alcohol, weapons, and contact with two specific people.
Skanes warned Wilmott what could happen if she were to be arrested another time.
“If you end up back here, it’s not likely that you would be released again,” the judge said. Wilmott nodded her understanding.
Wilmott is at least the second homecare worker accused of stealing from their elderly client to appear in provincial court in St. John’s this month. On Jan. 16, 39-year-old Sabrina Boudreau pleaded guilty to a charge of theft under $5,000, failing to appear in court and breaching a court order after she was caught stealing money from a client’s wallet and didn’t show up in court for a scheduled appearance.
The elderly man in that case, who recently passed away at age 87, had indicated to his children he believed he was missing money from his wallet. His son set up a hidden camera in the man’s home, which recorded Boudreau taking the wallet from a table and leaving the room before returning it about a minute later. She later confessed to police to having stolen from the man on three separate occasions, to the tune of $330.
Boudreau was given a suspended sentence and 12 months’ probation.
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