Care home boss targeted 97-year-old for £100,000 Jailed manager who blew the money on bingo struck off
ACARE home manager has been struck off after plundering £100,000 from a frail 97-year-old resident before blowing it on bingo.
Carleen Wilkins used the pensioner’s card and PIN to withdraw the maximum amount of cash from her account almost every day since 2012.
The ruthless 40-year-old even took the confused victim to Lloyds bank in Handsworth to withdraw £4,000 in cash, where Wilkins’ dishonesty finally came to light.
Having being jailed for 31 months last year, Wilkins has now been struck off by a panel.
Reaching the decision to strike Wilkins off, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) spoke of her “premeditated” behaviour and “systematic actions of fraud”.
Its report said: “Ms Wilkins’ conduct and behaviour clearly falls far below the standards expected of a registered nurse.”
Her actions “seriously undermined public confidence in the [nursing] profession.”
It added: “Her dishonesty was at the top end of the spectrum of dishonesty.”
Wilkins had initially been employed at Robert Harvey House in Handsworth Wood in 2007 as a care assistant, but qualified as a registered general nurse in 2010. She was then appointed as manager.
Just two years later in 2012, Wilkins targeted a frail 97-year-old resident at the care home – with the victim completely clueless to the prolonged theft.
A court previously heard that Wilkins had used the victim’s card and PIN to withdraw £300 in cash from her account every week. She then gambled away the cash she stole at bingo halls and casinos.
Wilkins, of Overdale Road, Quinton, who admitted theft, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.
Christian Wasunna, defending, said Wilkins had already been gambling before she started her employment and she had hoped to pay back the money she had taken through winnings.
Her deceit was eventually realised on February 10 last year when she took the pensioner to the Lloyds branch.
The cashier noticed that £300 was being regularly withdrawn from the elderly lady’s account using her card and PIN, which she found strange bearing in mind her frailty.
When asked what the money was for, the victim said it was for wine and clothes but when questioned further said she thought it was to pay for her care.
She was then kept in a side office away from Wilkins while the police were called, the court heard.
The victim seemed confused and agitated and could not give an expla- nation as to why the money was being withdrawn regularly from her account. She said Wilkins looked after all her financial needs. Wilkins’ home was then searched.
Officers discovered property belonging to the victim, including her passport and bank statements along with various withdrawal slips.
Passing sentence, Judge Roderick Henderson said: “It was the gravest breach of trust. It was very nearly £100,000 carried out over a number of years.”