A daughter plundered cash from her elderly father's bank account to help fund her gambling addiction, a court heard today .Margo Dunn, 44, was jailed for three months after she admitted stealing £7,270 from her 75-year-old father Peter Dunn, who was living in a Gorleston nursing home because of ill health.

A daughter plundered cash from her elderly father's bank account to help fund her gambling addiction, a court heard today .

Margo Dunn, 44, was jailed for three months after she admitted stealing £7,270 from her 75-year-old father Peter Dunn, who was living in a Gorleston nursing home because of ill health.

The court heard that Mr Dunn has since died.

The theft came to light after the nursing home expressed concern to Norfolk social services over unpaid bills and the fact Mr Dunn was not receiving any money from his daughter, who had sole access to his post office and building society accounts.

Social services then contacted Norfolk police's adult protection unit, who found that Margo Dunn had been stealing money from her father's bank account to fund her gambling problem.

Dunn, of Brooke Avenue, Caister, admitted two counts of theft.

Jailing her, Judge Simon Barham told her: “This was a very serious offence. The courts have to punish those who take advantage of vulnerable and elderly people by stealing their money”.

John Morgans, for Dunn, said: “She had problems in relation to gambling.”

He said she was under pressure looking after he ill father and her gambling problem had returned.

But Mr Morgans said that Dunn had since sought help from Gamblers Anonymous.

He added that her father had not suffered as a result of her theft and the bills had been settled by her brother in Scotland.

Mr Morgans said before her father died, Dunn had been able to speak to him and apologise.

He said she was of previous good character and the family accepted her actions were out of character.

After the case detective, Constable Dave Baxter, who was the officer in charge of the investigation, said: “Margo Dunn used her father's deteriorating health to her own advantage and abused her position of trust to siphon thousands of pounds of his money for her own ends.

“She preyed on an elderly and vulnerable man. This crime was made even more despicable by the fact that the victim was her own father.”

He added: “I would urge members of the public who have concerns about anyone who may be taking advantage of a vulnerable adult to contact the police.

“We take these complaints very seriously and work in partnership with our colleagues from Norfolk social services in a specialist unit to safeguard vulnerable adults.”