JAILED: Care co-ordinator stole £10,500 from stroke victim
A care co-ordinator who stole almost £10,500 worth of fees paid to her for a stroke victim to be looked after has been jailed for 10 months.
Beverley Lewis should have passed on the monthly payments to her employer, which has offices in Willenhall, but kept it all for herself.
She made the arrangement with the man’s sister who held power of attorney over his finances and had no idea the 59-year-old defendant was double crossing her, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
When the care company sent correspondence to the elderly woman warning her brother owed thousands of pounds in unpaid care bills scheming Lewis forged a letter on the company’s paper, which claimed there had been an administrative mistake and he owed nothing, revealed Mr Simon Phillips, prosecuting.
The scam continued for 15 months during which senior officials from the company had difficulty in reaching the man’s sister because contact details provided by the defendant were wrong or misleading.
When Lewis realised her boss was going to see the sister she maliciously alleged the woman had dementia knowing this was a lie.
It failed to stop the visit, which took place on June 26 2017, and was intended to disclose they were withdrawing care for the man because of the non payment of fees.
But it soon became clear his sister was genuinely mystified by the huge debt because she had paid Lewis every month.
Days later the co-ordinator – who was of previous good character – was quizzed by her employer, admitted her guilt and handed herself in to the police.
It is unclear why it took so long for the case to come to court.
The care company did not claim any further money from the victim to cover their loss.
Lewis was in financial difficulties and made a terrible decision while trying to cope with the death of her mother and the collapse of her marriage, said Mr Jamie Scott, defending, who added: “She had previously lived a law abiding and industrious life.
"She has shown remorse and shame because this was out of character.”
The defendant from Slater Street in Bradley, Wolverhampton, admitted stealing £10,498 between April 2016 and June 2017.
She was sent to prison by Judge Rhona Campbell who told her: “There was a significant level of planning for what was repeated and callous offending.”
