Greedy couple wipe out dementia sufferer's £130,000 life savings buying themselves a car, a gym and a wet room in two-year spending spree Lesley Reeve, 56, and husband Andrew, 55, spent her godmother Joan Killen's savings after the pensioner was moved into care in 2009 Pair were caught when her care home became suspicious and called police Couple denied theft but were found guilty by a jury at Teeside Crown Court A couple have been convicted of stealing the life savings of an elderly dementia sufferer to buy themselves a new car, a home gym and wet room in a two-year spending spree. Lesley Reeve, 56, and husband Andrew, 55, spent all but £3,000 of her godmother Joan Killen's £130,000 savings after the pensioner was moved into care and allowed him to become a signatory on her bank accounts. The couple cleared debts, bought a car and spent thousands on electrical goods and presents for themselves, Teesside Crown Court has heard. Found guilty: Andrew and Lesley Reeve, pictured outside Teesside Crown Court, have been found guilty of stealing the savings of of a dementia sufferer They also spent some of the cash on converting the garage of their home in Chichester Close, Hartlepool, into a wet room and gym. But the couple were caught out when police launched an investigation after Miss Skillen's care home realised the pensioner was always short of money. When the couple were arrested last year, they claimed the garage conversion on their four-bedroom property had been carried out so that the pensioner, who had been placed in care in 2009, could move in with them when she recovered. But a planning application submitted to the council detailed installing a gym and a wet room - and made no mention of a bedroom. The pair maintained throughout their trial that Miss Killen was 'ecstatic' when they asked her to move in - claiming she had told them to spend her money how they liked. That story was rejected by a jury, who convicted them of stealing £95,000 in savings as well as the theft of rent money they made from getting a tenant to move into Miss Killen's property when she went into a care home after a fall. An unemployed oil company receptionist Mrs Reeve, who collapsed in the dock, was convicted of stealing £2,940 in pension payments.The couple were cleared of stealing a winter fuel payment of £150. Building work: The home where the Reeve couple built a home gym and wet room with the pensioner's money While they were spending up to £2,500 of the godmother's savings a week at one point in 2009, the Reeves, who have sons aged 27 and 24, were sending her a weekly allowance of just £9.13 when she was in the care home, the court heard. Their sons sobbed in the public gallery when the guilty verdicts were returned. The court heard how the pair, from Hartlepool, took over Mrs Killen's finances when the spinster was taken into a care home in 2009 with dementia. Prosecutor Matthew Bean told the jury how Mrs Killen was left without pocket money while her goddaughter and her husband spent her savings within just two years. More than £11,000 went on paying off Mrs Reeve's credit card bill while the couple also bought a car, revamped their £220,000 detached home and added new furniture. The court was told how the couple spent money at Next, Marks and Spencer and Argos. Opening the case, barrister Mr Bean told the jury: "The prosecution say that this money was taken from her account in order for them to spend it on themselves. The prosecution say the money was used to pay for the conversion at their house... and also used by the defendants to buy a car, furnishings and electrical equipment. We ask you to look at this woman's mental health. It shows she was vulnerable and suffering from a gradual deterioration in her capacity due to the onset of dementia. Case: The couple went on trial at Teesside Crown Court (pictured) of stealing from Joan Killen's savings after Mr Reeve became a co-signatory for her accounts when her mental health began to deteriorate The prosecution say both defendants must have been well aware of this and decided to take advantage of her vulnerability by taking and spending her life savings. The court heard that Mrs Killen had "substantial" savings of more than £130,000 in January 2009, but within two years there was just over £3,000 left in her accounts. Hartlepool council officials launched an investigation after realising the care home resident was often left without pocket money and did not have enough to meet her bills. Mr Reeve twice ignored letters to provide detailed bank statements, said Mr Bean, because he knew there was little left and the discovery of that could lead to police involvement. Soon after, small amounts of money were transferred back into the pensioner's accounts in a cynical attempt to hide the thefts, the prosecutor said. Leaving court: The couple were released on bail until their sentencing hearing After their arrests, the couple denied acting dishonestly and claimed they had been given permission by the woman to spend the money. Mr Bean said their victim had no close relatives visiting her and although her goddaughter was not a blood relative, she and her husband were in line to inherit almost all of her possessions anyway. But he told the jury it was "no coincidence" that transfers back into the godmother's account began only after the Reeves were told of the council investigation. The court also heard that within weeks of the woman being taken into temporary care, her home was stripped of a stairlift and warden alarms despite Mr Reeve being told she may return. The house was then let by the couple who had the rent and payment for utility bills paid directly into their accounts along with the elderly woman's pension and winter fuel allowance. The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Simon Bourne-Arton granted the couple bail to allow reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing. After the case, Detective Inspector Dave Turnbull from the Cleveland Police Economic Crime Unit said: 'Today's result has brought a satisfactory conclusion to the first stage of what has proven to be a very difficult investigation. As the victim was unable to give evidence, it had to be proved by other means and credit for this must go to the investigating officer, Detective Constable Rachel Graham. Mr and Mrs Reeve took full advantage of a vulnerable lady and have spent her money entirely for their own benefit, which has left the victim with little left. We will now commence an investigation to recover the proceeds of the crime. A council spokesman said: 'Hartlepool Council is committed to protecting vulnerable people in the local community, and this includes the identification of financial and property abuse. 'Our staff have worked extremely hard on this case and welcome today's verdict.'