Care home manager admits stealing £14,000 from residents

A care home manager has admitted stealing £14,000 from two elderly residents.

Sandra Lupton was spared prison after admitting to two counts of stealing from the bank accounts of Albert Roberts, now 76, and John McLave, now deceased, while employed by Garden Lodge Care Homes in Belle Vale, Liverpool, between September 2014 and October 2015, the Liverpool Echo reported.

Recorder Archer, presiding, sentenced Lupton to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, alongside 180 hours unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation requirement.

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Liverpool Crown Court heard that Ms Lupton had stolen from the pensions and benefits accounts of Mr Roberts and Mr McLave after having been entrusted with their Post Office and bank cards to pay for their care fees.

The offences were carried out after Ms Lupton was given control of financial affairs at Garden Lodge, which had been part of Four Seasons Health Care, when it was take over by Dovehaven Care Homes.

The Court heard that Ms Lupton had used the stolen money to buy a television for her son, as well as as well as cigarettes and petrol.

Recorder Archer told Lupton: “You, in my judgement, were greedy and it’s your greed ultimately that caught you out.”