Rugeley care home boss stole £2k from vulnerable people in con
She faked receipts, made up bogus car journeys and forged the signatures of colleagues to swindle £2,000 from vulnerable people she should have been caring for.
Care home supervisor Joy Turner, aged 52, has now been handed a suspended prison sentence for her five-month con.
Turner was working at the Langston Care home in Rugeley when she pocketed a total of £2,170, most of it belonging to five of the residents, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Turner of Leasowe Road, Rugeley, who admitted three charges of fraud, was given a four month sentence suspended for a year and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work.
Recorder Mr David Mason QC also ordered her to pay £2,170 compensation at the rate of £100 a month. He told her: "You have effectively ruined the career you had. Stealing from people you are supposed to be looking after is a gross breach of trust."
Miss Cathlyn Orchard, prosecuting, said Turner had been Head of Houses at the care home, starting work there in May 2004 until she was sacked in February 2012.
The home looked after adults with behavioural difficulties, unable to manage their own financial affairs, and needing 24-hour, one-to-one care.
Relatives and guardians paid money into residents' bank accounts for their personal purchases and incidental expenses. The bank cards and PIN numbers were kept in a safe and Turner was the only person with access to it. One of her jobs was to ensure residents' purses were kept topped up with cash. In fact, she was stealing money from the accounts of five residents.
In addition, Turner charged the residents for purchases and for journeys they never made. All residents' expenditures had to be kept in a record book and verified by another member of staff. "She did, on occasions, forge the signatures of other members of staff," said Miss Orchard.
Turner's dishonesty was discovered because colleagues became suspicious about purchases and trips that residents could never have made. "It all led back to Turner and police became involved," added Miss Orchard.
Miss Orchard said the residents had been reimbursed by the care home.
Mr Rashad Mohammed, defending, said Turner had got into financial difficulties. "It spiralled out of control. She was pocketing small amounts of money over a period of time. Small amounts add up to a significant amount." He said Turner now has a job in a distribution centre and is able to pay compensation.
