A supermarket worker drained nearly £600,000 from his elderly mother’s life savings, left a suicide note, and later confessed to police after attempting to end his life at Beachy Head, a court has heard.

Details of the Fraud

Simon Grimes, 44, from Kenilworth Road, Petts Wood, Orpington, faces two counts of fraud by abuse of position. He allegedly transferred funds from his mother Linda Grimes’ Royal Bank of Scotland and Nationwide accounts between May 20, 2016, and June 16, 2022. Grimes has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court.

Linda Grimes, 73, discovered the massive shortfall with help from her other son, Mark, 48. At a local Nationwide branch in West Wickham, the full extent emerged, leaving her accounts in overdraft—£6,000 at RBS and the Nationwide balance depleted.

Mother’s Devastating Discovery

Testifying in court, Linda Grimes described her shock: “I was devastated. I just broke down in Nationwide and cried, not thinking my son could do that to me.”

She confirmed she never authorized the transfers. When confronted, Grimes grew angry and claimed the money sat in an offshore Amsterdam account generating returns—a claim she called a lie.

After his marriage ended, Grimes moved into his mother’s Orpington bungalow, agreeing to cover utilities. Prosecutors say he exploited this by intercepting her mail, collecting bank letters, new cards, and PINs found in his room.

Suicide Note and Confession

Days after exposure, Grimes left a note on his mother’s coffee table: “I’m sorry for what I’ve done. By the time you read this I will be at Beachy Head and I will be dead.”

Police searched Beachy Head, but Grimes surfaced days later at a station. He admitted spending the money on cocaine, alcohol, gambling, and repaying a loan shark debt that ballooned from £15,000 to £40,000.

To police, Grimes explained his spiral after his father Malcolm’s 2015 death. The chartered accountant left a substantial estate, including properties and his business, sold to fund Linda’s RBS account. She later sold the bungalow for Nationwide, planning a secure retirement, but funds vanished.

“Since his father passed away he had a really bad time and was drinking, taking drugs and gambling,” Grimes told investigators. He lost £40,000 from his own home sale and faced aggressive debt collectors.

“I went to Beachy Head to do myself in, but I didn’t,” he added. “I was doing drugs, cocaine, every day.”

Prosecution and Defense

Prosecutor Robin Griffiths outlined how Grimes abused trust, stripping his mother’s comfortable nest egg, leaving her reliant on pension amid a bleak outlook.

The defense highlights bank records suggesting Linda Grimes handled online and international transfers, which she denies. They portray Mark Grimes as an intimidating, money-focused businessman.

The trial continues.