A CARE home worker who stole £7,200 from a 91-year-old resident in “a gross breach of trust” has been jailed for nine months.
Fiona Le Clercq (40) made 25 withdrawals from the woman’s bank account over the course of two months – on most occasions withdrawing the maximum amount allowed.
The theft came to light when the victim asked another member of staff at the care home to withdraw money for her, the Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday.
Advocate Adam Harrison, prosecuting, said the elderly woman did not have her bank card but gave the staff member one of her bank statements.
“It showed numerous ATM transactions,” Advocate Harrison said.
The bank was contacted and a review of CCTV showed the defendant withdrawing the funds.
The advocate said that under interview Le Clercq admitted taking the money in February and March last year.
But she claimed the elderly woman had given her her bank card and PIN number and she assumed she had permission to use it.
Advocate Chris Baglin, defending, said Le Clercq had admitted the offence at the earliest opportunity, wrote a letter of apology and was at low risk of re-offending.
He added: “It wasn’t funding any extravagant lifestyle. It was just spent on day-to-day bills.”
He said Le Clercq could pay the money back if she was able to continue working, and suggested a community service order instead of prison.
“She would be able to repay her debt to society and, more importantly, repay the woman,” he argued.
But Magistrate Bridget Shaw said custody could not be avoided.
She told Le Clercq: “This was a gross breach of trust against a 91-year-old woman.
“This has caused her great distress, not just because of the money, but because someone of that age and that infirmity needs to be able to trust other people. It is the only way they can actually live.”
She added: “There is no feasible way that you could have thought there was any permission to do this. You were not desperate. You were not in poverty.”
The Magistrate said that two months after her release from prison Le Clercq must start paying the money back at the rate of £200 per month.
