Carer ‘stole £75,000 from ailing Thunderbirds writer’

A FILM-MAKER who wrote and directed Thunderbirds had more than £75,000 stolen from him by his fulltime carer to fuel his gambling addiction, a court has heard.

Alan Pattillo unknowingly had his finances targeted in a series of “egregious” thefts by Allan Beacham, prosecutors told Salisbury Crown Court.

The carer was allegedly trying to “dig himself out of a hole” having gambled away thousands, including spending £25,000 on lottery tickets.

Mr Beacham, 65, is accused of stealing about £75,000 between Jan 1 2017 and June 1 2019.

Mr Pattillo, who died aged 90 in January 2020 having had Parkinson’s, won an Emmy in 1979 for editing All Quiet on the Western Front.

After he retired, he moved to Aberdeenshire and Mr Beacham, who was employed by a care firm, visited his home to care for him.

In 2017, Mr Pattillo moved 550 miles away to Salisbury, Wilts, to be closer to his family and brought Mr Beacham with him as his full-time carer. Mr Beacham was paid £45,000 a year and was promised a £240,000 house in Salisbury owned by Mr Pattillo when the writer passed away.

Mr Pattillo was hard of hearing, registered blind and struggled to communicate.

Mr Beacham, in control of Mr Pattillo’s finances as his health declined, allegedly abused his power by requesting money from his lawyers to pay for Mr Pattillo’s expenses.

Thomas Evans, prosecuting, told the court that when Mr Pattillo moved from Scotland to Salisbury his average monthly expenditure jumped from £258.33 to £4,607.

Mr Evans said that Beacham’s bank statements showed that had spent more than £25,000 on lottery tickets in 19 months.

Mr Evans added: “He has developed an addiction to gambling and tried to dig himself out of a hole by stealing money.”

Mr Beacham, who lives in Wootton, Kent, denies theft.

The trial continues.