Carer stole from vulnerable pensioner

A CARER stole from a vulnerable, bedridden pensioner by using his bank card to withdraw money from a cash machine below his Solihull flat.

Rachel Richardson pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to stealing £500 from the elderly man's account.

But after more than four hours the jury found her guilty, although they cleared her of four further theft allegations which she had also denied.

Richardson, 41, of Gilbertstone Avenue, Yardley, stole the money from a 79-year-old pensioner who gave evidence via a television link.

He told the court he could only move about with difficulty and relied on carers who came to his flat to get him out of bed and to get his meals.

The victim discovered two withdrawls of £250 had been made from his account when he returned home following a stay in hospital.

When Richardson was arrested she claimed the man had lent her £500 because she owed money for the cost of the upkeep of her horse.

Prosecutor Jane Sarginson said: "She spun this line to try to put the police off the scent.

"The police made enquiries with the owner of the stables and in fact she owed nothing."

Richardson accepted that had been a lie, but in court she maintained the pensioner had lent her the money which she said she just spent.

But asked if he had ever lent money to Richardson the pensioner said firmly that he had not.

Judge Peter Carr adjourned sentence for a report to be prepared and granted Richardson bail with the condition she does not contact her victim.

Judge Carr told her: "I'm not going to sentence you without a pre-sentence report; but I'm not holding out any promises about what the sentence will be."

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