Ex-Wiltshire Council worker Amanda Elliott jailed for fraud

Amanda Elliott used some of the vulnerable people's money to pay off parking fines and credit card debt

A former council worker who stole more than £11,000 from vulnerable adults has been jailed for 15 months.

Amanda Elliott, from Warminster, looked after the people's financial affairs when she worked for Wiltshire Council.

The 49-year-old admitted stealing £11,028 from eight clients in order to settle credit card debt, pay off parking fines and buy goods between April 2017 and January 2019.

Wiltshire Council said her actions were "inexcusable".

Elliott, from West Street, initially denied any wrongdoing but pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud by abusing a position of trust at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday, where she was also jailed.

She was sacked by the council when her criminality was uncovered and an independent review of the council's court of protection services was set up.

'Closure' for victims

The council said it identified some areas of improvement and that it is "confident this will not happen again".

Terence Herbert, the authority's chief executive, added it was "devastated" and felt "completely let down" by Elliott's actions.

"We apologise to the victims of her crimes and for the distress she has caused them and their families," he said.

"Taking advantage of vulnerable people while in a position of trust is inexcusable."

Det Con Steph Brazier, of Wiltshire Police, said: "I hope this gives some closure to the vulnerable adults she stole from and their families.

"People who'd put their trust in this person, a trust that was destroyed when Amanda Elliott started to defraud them for her own means."