A respected Women 's Institute president has been convicted after raiding the bank account of her dying life-long friend . Kathleen Bailey , 70 , a church elder and avid charity fundraiser , was given power of attorney over her terminally ill 87-year-old friend 's finances . Bailey later became a carer for her victim , who was battling breast cancer and had no children . But the grandmother , from Ramsbottom , Greater Manchester , helped herself to at least £1,500 and used the money to finance trips to north Wales . Kathleen Bailey ( pictured ) was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting stealing from her dying friend 's bank account . She was handed a 12-month suspended jail sentence after admitting a charge of theft at Bolton Crown Court . She was also ordered to pay £1,500 to her victim 's estate . The court heard her victim had persuaded Bailey to take power of attorney , giving her control of the sick friend 's financial affairs . She had used the power properly at first to ensure her friend was looked after in a care home in Bury and enjoyed days out . But she then 'overstepped the mark ' , according to the prosecution , when she helped herself to cash from her friend 's account . Officials at NatWest bank in Ramsbottom suspended the account when they noticed increasingly large sums of money being withdrawn from October 2012 . Over a three-month period , £800 , £880 and £1,100 was taken out in successive transactions . The police arrested Bailey at her home in Ramsbottom - and her victim died eight weeks later . Before her death , she told officers she had been happy for her friend to treat herself , the court heard . Colin Buckle , defending , said the pair had been life-long friends and that Bailey had become her elderly friend 's carer , and had also taken her away on holidays as well as carrying out daily chores . The defendant 'still misses her friend ' , he said . She was handed a suspended jail sentence after admitting a charge of theft at Bolton Crown Court ( pictured ) But the prosecution said Bailey 'overstepped the mark ' and took at least £1,500 for herself although the exact figure was not known . 'When she found out her friend of 70 years had betrayed her trust she was devastated . ' After the hearing , a member of the victim 's family - who believe Bailey stole as much as £10,000 - said : ' I am absolutely shocked and appalled how anybody could do this to such a caring , loving lady , especially when she was in such poor health , fighting terminal cancer . 'When she found out that Kathleen Bailey had betrayed her trust and stolen her savings which were paying for her nursing care , she was devastated . 'She told me it was n't just the money , it was the fact that her best friend of 70 years and whom she relied on in her ill health had betrayed her trust . 'She had been such a strong lady , but her confidence was so severely knocked that within a few weeks , she had lost her 12-year battle with cancer . ' A friend blasted Bailey 's 'shameless crime ' , adding : 'The money that the victim had was being used to pay for her care . She thought at first that it had all gone . 'She was devastated by the breach of trust . They were close friends for years and she treated her as a daughter . It 's an awful thing to do to a dying woman . She was a lovely women who was very generous . ' Bailey 's solicitor Helen Vaughan added : ' I have absolutely no doubt Kathleen Bailey intended no harm or wrong towards her friend . ' Bailey was president of the Shuttleworth-in-Ramsbottom Women 's Institute and a well-known church elder at Dundee United Reformed Church . She was also involved in a number of charities and organisations , including Ramsbottom Fire Cadets .
Kathleen Bailey , 70 , was given power of attorney over friend 's finances . Her 87-year-old victim was battling breast cancer and had no children . Bailey helped herself to at least £1,500 and took trips to north Wales . She was given suspended jail sentence after admitting 1,100 charge of theft .