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A heartless social care official narrowly avoided jail after looting engagement and wedding rings from an OAP while assessing her frail husband's dementia. Mother-of-one Hillary Rimmer, 43, snatched the precious trinkets from a ring holder when she asked 80-year-old Pauline Berry if she could pop to her upstairs loo, in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Chester Magistrates' Court heard Rimmer was employed by Cheshire West and Chester Council's social care department to assess the support available to Mrs Berry's husband, Ken. When Mrs Berry later noticed the rings were missing, she contacted Cheshire Police, who found Rimmer had a secret drug habit and flogged the £1,555 bands to an unwitting pawnbroker.

Handing Rimmer a suspended sentence, District Judge Jack McGarva told her: "It is not possible to put a financial value on this offending.

"These items are supposed to signify a happy marriage but they just ended up reminding the victim of loss and how she was mistreated.

"It was all made worse by the fact that her husband has dementia and she will never get those days back. Those happy memories and days have been tarnished."

The incident occurred on October 9, 2025, after Rimmer was invited into the Berry's home to conduct a means assessment. During the meeting, Rimmer asked if she could use the bathroom, and Mrs Berry agreed.

But after Rimmer left the property, Mrs Berry discovered the rings which she had placed on the holder the night before had gone.

During a frantic search for the items, the elderly lady spoke to her husband to check if he had seen them and asked Rimmer herself - only to get the "smiling" response: "No, I was only in the bathroom for just a minute."

Police later spoke to the corrupt council official, who admitted she had stolen the rings and sold them to a Cash Converters in Liverpool. The rings were located inside the store and returned to the victim.

In court, Mrs Berry read out a powerful statement stressing: "I was beyond distraught. My husband fades away a little bit every day, and all I have is good memories of how our life was before dementia - those rings are part of that.

"Hilary didn't just take my rings, she took and soiled my memories. I just felt sick to my stomach and still do every time I think about it.

"Living with someone with dementia can be very challenging and I am 80 years of age with my own health problems.

"When social services offered me help, I was so grateful, and I welcomed Hilary into my home with complete trust as I would any professional person, doctor, nurse, etc.

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"Never did I think for one moment that Hilary would betray my trust by stealing my rings. The minute I saw that they were missing, I knew without a doubt that Hilary had taken them.

"I didn't want to believe that someone in Hilary's position of trust would do such a thing.

"Hilary has left me feeling violated that she would come into my home and do something like that, knowing my circumstances. It still really upsets me every time I think about it. I just don't seem able to get past it.

"I am usually a very forgiving person, but I cannot forgive Hilary because of her total abuse of your position of trust.

"If it wasn't for the kindness of a senior carer and a young police officer, I know I would never have seen my rings again."

The court heard Rimmer, from Hunts Cross, Liverpool, told a probation officer she had been using drugs at the time but was currently clean.

Representing herself at court, Rimmer said: "I apologise for what I did to Mrs Berry for breaching her trust and everything. I am just very sorry for what I did."

She admitted to theft and walked free with a 26-week suspended sentence, 10 days of rehabilitation activity and six months of drug rehabilitation.

Rimmer was also made to pay £239 in costs and surcharge. Mrs Berry said she didn't want any compensation.