Father jailed for stealing $720,000 from his sick parents

March 20, 2025 journo

A Perth father who stole more than $700,000 from his sick parents has been jailed for more than five years.

Blake Brinklow was meant to oversee his parents’ finances but instead he stole and gambled them away.

The 49-year-old, who insisted he used the money to bond with his dad and bet together, was today found guilty of three counts of stealing from his parents with power of attorney.

The stolen $719,250 was the fortune of Valerie and Paul Brinklow, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in their final years.

Their son stole funds from the sale of his parents’ home and his mother’s superannuation.

He funnelled the money into his company, Grasshopper Soccer, and gambled, including a 3½-hour frenzy when he splurged $100,000 on sports betting.

His siblings only discovered the theft years later, asking for documentation before he shut them out.

Blake Brinklow was also facing separate legal action from his brother over the ordeal.

Blake Brinklow stole more than $700,000 from parents Valerie and Paul Brinklow, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in their final years. (9News)

The court heard the dispute was settled this week when the thief paid his siblings an unspecified amount of money.

The father was handed a five-year-and-four-month jail term and could be eligible for parole in more than three years.