Love Actually star Meg Wynn Owen had thousands stolen by friend

A Love Actually star living in a care home had to wear clothes from dead residents after her money was stolen by a friend, it has been reported.

Meg Wynn Owen – who had dementia and died this year at the age of 82 – had her savings raided by Brian Malam, according to Wales Online.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Malam, 60, was granted power of attorney over the actor's finances in 2014 and ended up taking around £65,000 from his victim over around four years.

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Malam, of Grangetown, Cardiff, was meant to make sure money went into an account for staff at the care home to buy things for Owen but when he didn't do this enough, they had to give her clothes that had belonged to other residents who had passed away.

The actor, who played the prime minister's (Hugh Grant) secretary in the hit 2003 Christmas film, was also unable to afford a hairdresser.

So her hair was cut by staff at the home.

Costume designer Malam has now been sentenced to two years and eight months in jail.

The Sun reported that, sentencing Malam, Judge Paul Hobson said: "The position was that you were taking money from her bank account in significant funds and either transferring into your own account or spending it directly.

"As time went on you simply continued in what you were doing known full well the money would not be repaid realistically."

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Owen started her screen career in the 60s and over the years appeared in films such as Under Milk Wood, The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission, Gosford Park, Vanity Fair and Pride & Prejudice.

She also had several roles on the stage and was in television shows such as Upstairs, Downstairs - where she played Hazel Bellamy - Doctors, The Bill, The Jury and Doctor Who.

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