Perth man jailed for stealing from Alzheimer's parents

A man from Perth has been sentenced to over five years in prison for stealing money from his elderly parents, who had Alzheimer's disease. Blake Adrian Brinklow was given power of attorney in 2016. He misused this authority to take more than $700,000 from his parents, even after their deaths. Brinklow used the stolen money to fund his gambling addiction. The money came from various sources, including his mother's superannuation and the sale of the family home. His actions were discovered only after both parents had passed away. In court, Brinklow denied the charges but was found guilty of three counts of theft that occurred between March 2017 and July 2018. The judge, Geneveive Cleary, criticized Brinklow for his betrayal of trust. She remarked that a son who truly cared for his parents would not leave them in such a difficult situation. Brinklow's lawyer argued that his client never intended to misuse the funds and was willing to repay his siblings. However, the prosecutor stressed that intention to return the money does not excuse the crime. It was highlighted that Brinklow had moments of significant gambling losses, including a case where he lost $100,000 in just three hours. After a civil action by his siblings, which had been settled just days before his sentencing, the amount Brinklow is required to repay remains unknown. He will be eligible for parole after serving three years and four months of his sentence.