Charity worker 'manipulated abuse victim' - court

A charity worker is accused of manipulating a victim of abuse into handing over £16,000 of her compensation pay-out, a court has heard.

Kathryn Kelwick abused her position of trust while working as a vulnerable adults manager at Swinton Lock Activity Centre in Rotherham, prosecutors told Sheffield Crown Court earlier.

They allege Kelwick, 55 and of Eilam Road, Rotherham, used "a variety of manipulative behaviours" to get the woman to transfer the money to her.

Kelwick denies one count of fraud, and stated in her interview with police that she had received the money as part of their friendship.

The court heard the complainant had viewed Kelwick as her support worker and friend who had helped her with "all aspects of life".

Despite the woman's reservations about receiving compensation for the sexual and physical abuse she had suffered, Kelwick encouraged her to file a claim with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

The claim was successful, prosecutor David Ward said, with the complainant telling the court she was awarded £33,000 in two instalments.

She said it had been "part of the deal" to split the money with Kelwick and she sent her £11,000 in September 2021 and £5,000 in May 2022.

The latter featured a note from her saying "enjoy".

"She got in my head. That's what it all went down to," the complainant said.

"I obviously learned she crossed a lot of boundaries and she shouldn't have."

Defence counsel Dermot Hughes told the court Kelwick and the complainant had an "almighty row" over a person the complainant was spending time with in June 2022.

Hughes said the complainant pushed Kelwick "hard enough to cause bruising", and later sent her abusive messages.

Hughes suggested the complainant had been "determined to cause problems" for his client and argued she regretted gifting Kelwick the money - money, he said, the complainant had viewed as "dirty" and did not want in the first place.

"There were no strings attached, you didn't say you wanted it back, you didn't say hang on to it for me, you said 'enjoy'," he said.

Swinton Lock Activity Centre manager Jayne Senior told the court employees had to declare gifts and were not allowed to accept cash.

She said Kelwick had previously declared a bunch of flowers she got from co-workers as well as "a candle or something else" but had not mentioned the money from the complainant.

Asked what someone should do if they received such a gift, she said: "Walk through my door and tell me.

"It would have been a disciplinary and it would've been returned and I would've still had to report it."

Senior said she would also question why a vulnerable service user had the bank details of a staff member.

She told the court that once the cash gifts came to light, Kelwick was dismissed for gross misconduct.

The trial continues.

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