Former care home manager and daughter jailed for stealing £20,000 from resident

A former care home manager and her daughter have been jailed for stealing £20,000 from an elderly resident.

Susan Stewart and her daughter, Carly Douglas, were jailed on Friday for 27 months and 30 months, respectively, after being convicted at Newcastle Crown Court in August of deceiving a 94 year old woman at Sycamore Lodge in Sunderland.

The Court had heard that the pair had stolen £18,000 from the resident’s account as well as withdrawn £3,000 from ATMs between June and July 2016.

Story continues below

Advertisement

Linda Wrout, managing director of Sycamore Care Centre, said: “This was an appalling breach of trust which was carried out under the noses of both residents and employees.

“Stewart was a manager who everybody trusted, having been in her role for 12 years, and this meant we were all taken in by her lies and deceit. She and her daughter have caused enormous distress and upset to everyone who lives and works here.”

Detective Constable Terry Robertson, of Northumbria Police, said: “They abused the trust of an elderly female in their care and saw an opportunity to use the victim’s confused state for their own selfish gain.

“They then attempted to cover up their crimes until the last minute, only admitting their guilt at the eleventh hour when the weight of evidence was overwhelming.

“Let this be a message to anybody who looks to prey on the most vulnerable in our society. You will be pursued.”