A KIDDERMINSTER couple who stole more than £7,000 from a sick and elderly woman in a four-month period have been jailed at Worcester Crown Court.

Lisa Dean, who was a carer for 79-year-old Barbara Wormington, received a 15-month sentence. Her husband, Simon, from whom she is now parted, was jailed for 12 months.

Lisa Dean, 25, of Hawfinch Rise, Spennells, Kiddermin-ster, pleaded guilty to 27 offences of theft and obtaining money transfers by deception.

Simon Dean, 36, of Windermere House, Hurcott Road, Kidderminster, admitted 18 offences of making fraudulent cashpoint withdrawals and accepting money transfers made by deception.

Gareth Walters, prosecuting, said Mrs Wormington, of Ismere, near Stourbridge, suffered from Parkinson's Disease and the after-effects of a road accident. She was in need of a carer for day-to-day living and one of these was Lisa Dean.

Dean went to the house two days a week but, in November 2004, relatives became suspicious because stubs were missing from Mrs Wormington's cheque book.

A check on a bank statement showed a number of unauthorised transactions.

Mrs Wormington's sister, Mrs Pauline Hayward, was shown the cheques and realised the signatures were forgeries.

There had also been cashpoint withdrawals from another account.

Lisa Dean first said Mrs Wormington had given her cheques for a wedding present and to pay for driving lessons. She had resorted to stealing because she was in an abusive relationship and her husband wanted money for drugs.

Simon Dean said he was aware his wife was stealing but did not know what she was doing with the money.

Julian Harris, for Lisa Dean, said she had affection for her victim but the offences resulted from her unhappy life. She was a foster child who had been bullied and rejected by her natural father. She had been influenced in her offending by her husband.

Lucy Allen, for Simon Dean, said he had been brought up in poverty and had been sole carer for a time for the couple's three children. Money had been tight and he had fallen to temptation.

Dean, who had previous convictions for robbery and drug possession, was ashamed of his actions, said Miss Allen, and was learning to read and write so he could lead a better life.

Judge David McEvoy QC said there was public concern about the treatment of the elderly in this fashion and custody was inevitable.