Digging into a Bank Account

Dear Auntie,
I have conduct of a social care fraud case and I would like to examine the cared for person’s bank account because I have evidence that her son, who has power of attorney, is abusing his position, in that he is not declaring all his mother’s income for her care needs. I cannot apply for the bank statements as I have no power to do so under SSFA.
However, I have established that there is also an investigation ongoing by another Authority into an allegation of benefit fraud by persons who are renting the former home of the elderly woman above. She is being cited as the landlord of the property but the rental income is not being declared to the authority administering the social fund.
I know that the other Council cannot apply for the elderly person’s bank statements as they are not investigating her, just the tenants in her property.
Have you any suggestions on how I can move forward with this case. Without sight of her bank accounts I believe I will not be able to progress my case.
Thanks,
Frustrated

Penalties

Dear Auntie,
Hope all is well with you, I am currently reviewing some procedures and I just wanted to confirm a point relating to administrative penalties.
Should an Adpen be given to the claimant by a Senior Officer / Management or can an IO give one of these? We have always used a Senior or Management but I am aware in some authorities an IO will administer these. I am aware that the person giving the Adpen should not have been present in the IUC for a fair and transparent process.
Many thanks for your help with this,
Vicky

Entrapment

Dear Auntie,
I am wondering if you can help clear up something relating to entrapment, we seem to be getting conflicting views as to what is and is not permissible in the course of an investigation.
I was always under the impression that if you planted something in the expectation that someone would take it, this was entrapment as you had enticed them to commit the crime (e.g. putting something in a void council house which you expect a housing officer to take.)
However, we have just had a case which we have been working on with the police where they told us to plant a purse and a camera in a building to see if they get stolen by a suspect following a spate of thefts (which they duly were). Why wouldn’t that be seen as entrapment?
Can we use the evidence we got from planting the evidence in a prosecution?
Your confusedly,
Trapped