Carer who stole from elderly widows jailed
A CARER is to spend Christmas in jail after she stole £99 in cash from two elderly widows – one of whom suffers from dementia.
Marie Crawford, 59, stole the money from the handbags of the confused victims, aged 86 and 90, on four different occasions when she took them out for lunches and shopping trips or helped them with household chores.
She was caught after relatives of one of the women installed CCTV spy cameras outside her home and filmed Crawford pick cash out of the lady’s handbag as she was packing it in the back of the car.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Crawford, from Rochdale, who admitted theft, burst into tears as she was told by a judge she would be locked up for 20 weeks.
She will be eligible for release on January 31 2019, but her sentence will be reassessed under the terms of a partially suspended sentence.
Judge Bernard Lever told her: “In this country there are thousands of old people in their own home being looked after by carers, who suffer with dementia and memory difficulties.
“The vast majority of those carers are very loving, honest, kind and decent people. But there is a temptation for dishonest carers to steal from the people they are assigned to protect and look after. This was despicable behaviour.
“These ladies wanted to live independently and with dignity for their old age, and your agency organised for you to be their carer and look after them. But in flagrant breach of that trust you started rifling their bags for cash.
“This sentence is a sharp reminder to you and those like you that people who steal from vulnerable little old ladies will be remanded in custody.”
He added: “It is absolutely imperative to punish you and deter others as these courts are here to protect elderly and vulnerable people.’’
The court heard the thefts occurred between September and October this year while Crawford was working for care provider B2B Independent Living.
Prosecutor Martin Callery said: “The two victims, who are related, have illnesses and ailments that are generally associated with people of that age, and Crawford was assigned to care for them at home.
“But it was suspected money was going missing, so family members began observing the defendant by placing CCTV outside the front of the house. They observed the defendant leave the house with the elderly lady.
“She then took the lady’s handbag to the rear of the car and was seen picking money from it. It transpired that £20 cash was stolen from her handbag.
“The other elderly lady, aged 90, had been stolen from by the defendant on three separate occasions.”
In a statement, the 86-year old woman’s daughter said: “My mum has lived at her address since she was married to my dad in 1958.
“Once my dad died in 2007 she lived alone in that house.
“She is a proud person who wants to live as independently as possible. In 2015 she was diagnosed with vascular dementia and for a significant period, all our family are having to adapt to the changes this illness brings.
“We are heartbroken to hear how distressed our mum is. The trust placed upon this carer has been totally abused. I am mortified I arranged for this carer and I too placed my trust in her. “People with dementia are the most vulnerable as crimes committed against them are the most difficult to prove – this was a betrayal. We wanted this taken seriously as my mum was a victim of crime.”
The 90-year-old lady’s daughter said: “My mother has lived alone for 25 years after suddenly becoming a widow. Her health began deteriorating 12 months ago.
“Discovering that she was stealing from my mum and auntie, we have found it hard to understand.
“She was a carer responsible for her patient, so was supposed to protect her,” she added.