Two Tamworth fraudsters jailed for stealing over £600k from deceased people's estates

Laurna Porter and Julie Atkins
A total of 23 estates were found to have money stolen from them by Laurna Porter and Julie Atkins over 13 years. They were arrested at their home address in 2018. Credit: CPS

Two women from Tamworth who stole over £634,000 from the beneficiaries of wills, including money intended for life-saving charities, have been jailed for six and a half years between them.

A total of 23 estates were found to have money stolen from them by Laurna Porter and Julie Atkins over 13 years. They were arrested at their home address in 2018.

Porter, 69, was jailed on Thursday (25 April) for four years at Stafford Crown Court. She pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and money laundering in October 2022.

Atkins, 68, was jailed for two and a half years after being found guilty of money laundering in February 2024 following a trial.

Exterior of Stafford Crown Court. Credit: PA images

Porter and Atkins were both arrested at their home addresses on 10 April 2018.

Laurna Porter was a probate manager employed by a law practice and a firm of solicitors in Tamworth.

Whilst working there, Porter stole in excess of £600,000 from various clients through various means - diverting most funds to the accounts of her friend Julie Atkins, who would the pay some back to her.

The thefts took place from estates handled by Porter between 2006 and 2018. Restriction orders were then imposed on the finances of both women.

DS Andrew Shorthouse, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We welcome the Judges sentences given to Laurna Porter and Julie Atkins today.

“The fraud was targeted and systematic over a long period of time and could not have been successful without the repeated dishonest actions of both.

“Porter held a position where trust had to be placed in her by those whose estates she managed; that trust was breached.”

Specialist Prosecutor Anamarie Coomansingh from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “This was a calculated fraud over a period of 13 years, which generated a significant amount of money.

“Laurna Porter breached her legal duties as a probate manager and abused her position of trust in taking funds from life-saving charities, as well as from families of the deceased.

“It must have been particularly distressing for the families and friends, who simply want to see their loved one’s last wishes properly executed.

“The CPS will now seek to recover any available criminal proceeds from the defendants, in order to compensate the beneficiaries.”

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