PHOTO: Hayley Philpot
A pregnant mother of one, Hayley Philpot, 29, was sentenced to three months in jail this week after pleading guilty to theft. Philpot, a former real estate agent, had befriended an elderly client while working at Savoy Real Estate Yarra Glen in 2019. She assisted the 80-year-old woman and her husband in selling their home and relocating to a nursing home. Subsequently, Philpot was granted power of attorney and proceeded to siphon $98,844 from the woman’s bank account over a 15-month period until August 2021.
The court revealed shocking details of Philpot’s spending spree, which included purchases such as an Apple iPhone, a MacBook, hair and beauty treatments, Deliveroo orders, Uber rides, car repairs, meals at restaurants, movie tickets, and pet accessories. Additionally, the stolen funds financed shopping sprees at JB Hi-Fi, Kmart, Bunnings, Kookai, Zara, as well as purchases from various restaurants and bottle shops.
Philpot’s actions left her victim struggling financially, as she had no family support and was caring for her husband with dementia. Prosecutors emphasized Philpot’s exploitation of the elderly woman’s vulnerability, branding it as a severe breach of trust. Magistrate David Starvaggi echoed this sentiment, describing it as “one of the most severe examples of a breach of trust.”
Philpot attempted to justify her actions by claiming her brother needed $40,000 to pay off a supposed ‘bikie gang debt.’ However, this explanation did not sway the court. Philpot was ordered to repay over $60,000 still owed in addition to her jail sentence.
Philpot was ordered to serve a three-month jail term and pay back the stolen proceeds
Despite leaving her position at Savoy Real Estate Yarra Glen in 2020, Philpot continued working in the real estate industry, describing herself on LinkedIn as an experienced sales agent and freelance buyers advocate in Melbourne.
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL