A CARER stole from vulnerable elderly Alzheimer's sufferer to pay her bills and loans off, magistrates in Hereford have heard.

Rebecca Crowther appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud by false representation.

Crowther had been working as a carer, looking after a man in his eighties who was suffering with Alzheimer's when she used his debit card without consent on four occasions, prosecutor Elizabeth Blacklock said.

Records showed £96.75 had been taken from the card on November 29, £139 on December 30, £40 on January 7, and £139.50 on January 11.

Two of the payments had been made to utility company E, while the remaining two had been made to loans company Morses Club, and while the victim's bank had recovered the money paid to EE, £179 paid to Morses Club was still outstanding.

"This was clear targeting of a vulnerable victim who lacked capacity and they were carried out while she was in her job role," Miss Blacklock said.

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Emily Gourley, for Crowther, said the 32-year-old had been a working mother while her partner stayed at home.

"She was the sole bread-winner," Mrs Gourley said.

"The pressure was on her shoulders to pay the bills, and two payments went to her energy supplier and the other two to a loan company. He ex-partner had a drug addiction and if she did not provide money, she would get beaten up. She is very remorseful and says she was stuck in a rut and was in fear.

"The money was not spent on luxury items and went straight into accounts which were in her name. It was only a matter of time before she was caught."

The court heard Crowther, who lost her job as a carer, is no longer in a relationship and is getting support from various agencies.

"She is a woman trying to get back on her feet and get out of debt," Mrs Gourley said.

Crowther, of Churchill Avenue, Leominster, was handed a £12 month community order and must pay compensation of £179 and a £95 victim surcharge. No costs order was made due to her means.