'Greedy care worker fleeced' disabled woman

Claire Kirwin was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court

A "greedy" care worker "preyed upon and fleeced" a disabled woman she was looking after at a residential home, a court has heard.

Claire Kirwin, 43, took at least £2,250 from the woman, who needed 24-hour care, over two years, including £1,000 while the victim was in hospital after a fall, Teesside Crown Court heard.

She told the woman "sob" stories about needing money to feed her children but instead spent cash given to her out of "kindness" on alcohol and gambling, Judge Richard Bennett said.

Kirwin, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was jailed for 10 months, suspended for 18 months, after admitting fraud by false representation and abuse of position.

The victim had Huntington's disease and had been living in care homes for eight years before coming under the care of assistant and support worker Kirwin at a residence in Darlington, prosecutor Rachel Butt said.

The woman required 24-hour care, used a wheelchair, was fed through a tube and had limited speech, the court heard.

'Paranoid and foolish'

In June last year, the woman was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital after suffering a fall, Ms Butt said.

While there, she told her son she was worried about money after receiving messages from her bank saying her account was nearly empty, the court heard.

It was quickly revealed Kirwin, of Bakewell Place, had used the woman's bank card to steal £1,000 while the victim was in hospital, Ms Butt said.

Kirwin had used the card to make multiple payments to gambling sites, the court heard.

The woman then disclosed she had given Kirwin at least £1,250 over the previous two years after the care assistant said she needed money to buy food for her children, Ms Butt said.

In reality, that had been "no more than a sob story" with Kirwin instead spending it on alcohol and gambling, Judge Bennett said.

In a statement read to the court, the victim's son said his mum had to move to a new care home and they found it very difficult to trust anyone.

"I thought she was safe and I could trust the people looking after her," the man said, adding he was now "paranoid" and felt "foolish" for not realising his mother was being financially abused.

'Disgraceful and appalling'

Judge Bennett said Kirwin had "preyed upon" and "fleeced" the "vulnerable" woman, adding the full amount stolen could not be ascertained but he suspected it was "much higher" than the £2,250 she admitted.

Kirwin had been "very greedy" when committing her "mean" offences and "took advantage of this lady's kindness", the judge added.

He said she deserved to go to prison for her "disgraceful" and "appalling" conduct but was being spared solely for the sake of her children, who would have to go into care if she were jailed.

Compensation could not be ordered due to Kirwin's heavy debts, but the judge said he hoped the woman's bank would refund her as she had been a victim of crime through no fault of her own.

A restraining order banning Kirwin from contacting the woman was also made to last for 10 years.