Carer stole £5,600 from resident's bank account

Suzanne Morley, 43, of Palace Court, White Rock, was convicted of fraud this week following an investigation by police.

A relative of one of the elderly residents realised money had gone missing from her bank account, and reported it to police.

Morley had been working at the St Leonards care home in the latter half of last year and earlier this year when the thefts came to light.

Officers carried out a painstaking investigation tracing financial transactions which subsequently identified Morley as having used the card several times to buy clothes, CDs and other luxury items.

Morley was arrested and interviewed by Hastings detectives, and then charged with fraud.

At a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on Monday, she pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud.

She was given a 10-month prison sentence but this was suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay 5,635.38 in compensation within three months.

PC Duncan Cleverley, of Hastings Police, who investigated the initial reports of this crime, said: "Suzanne Morley took advantage of her position of trust and used it to her own financial gain. I believe that the suspended sentence and level of compensation in this case reflects the severity of the crime."