Care worker admits care home fraud

A CARE worker was given a suspended jail term after a court heard she used a dementia sufferer's money to pay for goods she had bought.Sentencing Florence Larvin at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, Recorder David Bradshaw said she had manipulated the system to get round the safeguards she knew were in place to prevent such abuse.

She had targeted a victim she knew was vulnerable and ignoring the value, it was difficult to think of a more serious breach of trust.

Larvin, 58 of Wickett Drive, Wakefield admitted one charge of fraud and was given four months in jail suspended for two years. She was also ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work, repay 23.48 to the victim and 100 prosecution costs.

Ken Green, prosecuting, said the home where Larvin then worked provided accommodation for people suffering from mental illness, dementia and Down's Syndrome. Each had a safe in their room and expenses for items they bought were carefully logged.

A receipt showed one of the residents had allegedly spent 23.48 in a shop in Leeds but CCTV showed Larvin was the buyer and she had put the receipt in the victim's accounts and taken the money to cover it.

Laurinda Bower for Larvin said she had lost her job and her good name after 36 years as a care worker. She said: "She feels both ashamed and disgusted by her behaviour."