Carer stole card for shopping spree
A CARE worker stole money from the disabled woman she was looking after to buy clothes dryers.
Dawn Elliott was in a position of trust over the victim, a woman in her 30s with Down’s syndrome, in her role as a support worker.
Despite caring for the woman for a decade, Elliott used her knowledge of her pin number to shop for household items, before withdrawing £100 from her victim’s account.
Elliott, of Locomotion Way, North Shields, took the woman’s debit card on January 8 last year for a shopping spree in Wilko’s. A receipt from the store which was later seen by suspicious colleagues showed two clothes airers were bought along with other small items, costing a total of £72.75.
Ten days later, on January 18, the victim withdrew her weekly £100 spending money. But on the same day, another £100 was withdrawn which could not be accounted for.
The 40-year-old has admitted stealing the money and using the woman’s debit card. North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard that the vulnerable woman used her cash in cafes but had “no understanding of the value of money”.
Sarah O’Neil, prosecuting, said care worker Nicola Williamson was alerted when she saw the victim’s bank statement stating that £72 had been spent in Wilko’s.
Ms O’Neil added: “Nicola Williamson tried to question her about the transaction but she couldn’t say what she had bought with this money. The victim knows her pin number but none of the other staff are supposed to know it other than Mrs Elliott. Suspicions were aroused and staff told the manager.”
A deputy manager at St Anne’s Community Services investigated the date of the shopping trip and discovered that the victim had been visiting their day centre and did not have an opportunity to go to Wilko’s.
When Elliott was arrested she denied the charges but the airers were found at her home. She was due to stand trial at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court but pleaded guilty to the theft of £100 and committing fraud by false representation.
Elliott was sentenced to 24 weeks’ prison suspended for 12 months. Chairman of the bench David Gunn also ordered her to pay back the stolen money, £172.75, as well as a victim surcharge of £115 and costs of £200.