Should I let my ex con cousin stay with us?

DEAR DEIDRE: MY cousin has come out of prison after committing fraud and asked if she can stay with me.

I’m female and 55, she’s 58.

We have always been close despite her misdemeanours which led her to prison.

When she came out she originally asked to stay in our caravan on the coast but we rent it out and it’s booked all summer, so we can’t afford to cancel all the visitors.

She says that the council place she’s been given to stay in is horrid and it is in a very dangerous area.

My cousin came to stay with us before she got caught for fraud, and at the time some money went missing from a tin in the kitchen.

We can’t be sure she took it but my husband now won’t hear of her staying with us.

DEIDRE SAYS: While everyone deserves a second chance, you do have to live with your husband so you may well be wise to respect his wishes.

You can still help her to make different arrangements, though.

If she’s unhappy with where she’s living, she can find support through nacro.org.uk (0300 123 1999), who help ex-offenders and their families with issues such as accommodation and independent living.