A grandmother who stole £150,000 from her “vulnerable” cousin has been ordered to pay up or she will be sent to jail.

Wendy Davies, 76, from Heyope, near Knighton, was given a two-year suspended sentence last year because of her age, her clean character and the fact that the offences were historic.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke made the confiscation order of £115,542.49 at a proceeds of crime hearing which was held at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday, February 28.

Davies was ordered to pay up within three months or she will spend 18 months in prison.

Davies’ trial heard she treated herself to clothes from expensive fashion shops and a trip to Paris while she controlled the finances of her 66-year-old cousin, John Pugh, who has cerebral palsy and lives in supported accommodation.

She spent £56,000 of his money at a local supermarket between 2006 and 2010 and used some of the cash to improve the driveway of her home in Heyope.

The Court of Protection had appointed Davies to manage the affairs of Mr Pugh who has no concept of financial matters.

She was relieved of the responsibility in 2010.

Davies denied theft and dishonestly abusing a position of trust but was found guilty at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court last September.

At the time she had run the risk of a five-year jail term for the offences.

Now she faces a new prospect of time inside.

The court heard at the time that her victim John Pugh, 66, had no understanding of what has happened and still holds Davies in high regard.

The judge in the sentencing hearing said the delay in proceedings was due to the Crown Prosecution Service failing to act “when it should have done some years ago”.

“You are of good excellent character – you have lost your good name in very public circumstances which must be a blow to you.”

He concluded: “I am stepping outside the guidelines in your favour and I’ve decided, with some hesitation, that I can suspend the sentence.”