A CARER was caught stealing from a 93-year-old woman in her own home - after the victim's family set up secret cameras.

The woman who carried out the ‘despicable’ thefts was asked by a district judge how she would feel if the same thing happened to her own grandmother.

Jessica Holmes, who admitted theft, wept during the hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court where she was sentenced for stealing from the woman who is deaf, has poor mobility and lives alone.

Her thefts came to light after the victim's concerned daughter installed CCTV which caught Holmes in the act.

The 26-year-old who worked for Caremark at the time admitted stealing £150 from Kathleen Clee in Worcester between May 1 and July 15.

District judge Nigel Cadbury said: “Just imagine how bad and angry you would feel if that happened to your grandmother.”

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said the theft of the £150 involved three separate incidents, two of which came to light because of the ‘candour’ of Holmes after the third theft was captured on camera.

He said Holmes was employed as a private carer. Mrs Clee’s daughter, who looked after her mother’s finances, became suspicious that money was being stolen and installed CCTV.

Mr Beale said: “The defendant went into the living room, picked up the handbag, went though it and took the money from it.” She took £20 in that instance. Holmes was interviewed by police on July 15.

Mr Beale added: “She said she felt awful about it and had been and had been intending to put the money back when she returned later that day to care for her again but accepted she had also done this before.”

She confessed to stealing £100 and £30 on two previous occasions.

Holmes was dismissed as soon as the allegations came to light Caremark confirmed after the hearing.

Holmes said she was a single parent and had been in rent arrears at the time.

A statement from Mrs Clee's daughter was read out where she said: "I'm disgusted this incident has happened. This is a despicable incident that has made me feel sick.

"I don't know how people can stoop so low and prey on vulnerable people."

Mark Sheward, defending, said Holmes had been told that if she went into rent arrears again there was a chance she could become homeless and would be living on the streets and knew what that was like because she had been homeless before.

He added: "The prospect of being homeless terrified her. The offence was committed through not being able to pay her rent. She receives no maintenance from her ex-partner for her child. He doesn't pay anything at all. She wanted to keep her home and restored to theft."

Mr Sheward said she would have been better off had she not worked. She is now on benefits, receiving income support, child tax credits and child benefit.

Mr Sheward said she bitterly regrets what she did.

District judge Cadbury said: "This was despicable behaviour and I understand why the victim's daughter said precisely that in her victim personal statement. This is stealing from an old person who is clearly vulnerable.

"Old people and their families must be able to trust the care workers they employ to go into old people's homes to look after them.

"It's clearly a case of high culpability, abuse of trust or responsibility which you did."

Holmes of Fitzwilliam Close, Dines Green, Worcester was handed a 12 month community order and must complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She must also pay £150 compensation, £185 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

She agreed to pay at a rate of £5 per week.

After the hearing a spokesman for Caremark said: "The safety of our customers is of paramount importance. As a company we have supported the family and police through the investigation. Jessica Holmes was dismissed immediately and we continued to support the lady in question and the rest of our customers."

The victim's family declined to comment on the sentence.