Trusted Sunderland carer stole £5,000 from bank account of woman suffering from brain damage

Kelly Taylor, 44, of Gladstone Street, Roker, Sunderland, made numerous fraudulent transactions in a betrayal of trust which lasted over a year.

Her crime was uncovered when the woman’s cash stash was checked by her brother, a court heard.

He noticed up to £250 at a time had been withdrawn from a cashpoint and tipped off the crook’s bosses at council-run Sunderland Care and Support.

Prosecutor Emma O’Hegarty revealed they crosschecked staff rotas with dates of withdrawals and identified Taylor as chief suspect – and she confessed all when challenged.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, she pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, between December 2019 and January 2021, a charge which carries up to a year behind bars.

Mrs O’Hegarty said: “The victim, due to a brain injury at birth, has her brother acting as her attorney. She lives in supported accommodation.

“Staff members could withdraw money from a cashpoint for residents and the manager required the victim’s power of attorney.

“During Covid money built up. In September 2021, a bank statement showed £250 going out at a time, sometimes on consecutive days.

“The transactions were from a machine near the victim’s accommodation.

“That month, the victim’s brother reported to Sunderland Care and Support that money had gone missing.

“There is a policy that all money is logged and checked. Staff were then checked as to who was on duty during the fraudulent activity.

“This defendant was on duty when fraudulent activity took place.

“She was interviewed with a legal representative and gave a statement saying she took the money.

“She accepted it was dishonest and that she was ashamed of herself. The starting point is 36 weeks’ custody to one year’s custody.”

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said: “Ms Taylor is ashamed of what has happened and knows what she did was wrong.

“She was struggling during lockdown with drink. There are positive things about her.

“She has no previous convictions and is a carer for her father. She has tackled the drinking habit she had.”

Magistrates ordered an all-options report into Taylor’s offending and granted her unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Monday, March 6.