'Unforgivable' accusationsmade by thefts-case carer

Susan Batey stole money from three vulnerable patients at Baylea Home Care in Hull, Robert Watson, 92, Mabel Brown, 73, and John Tallentire, 58, who later died from multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease.

Batey then launched a malicious vendetta against Mr Tallentire’s widow and son, making false allegations and threatening phone calls in a bid to discredit them as witnesses in her trial.

She told detectives Mrs Tallentire had murdered her husband and that Mr Tallentire’s son Ian had assaulted her leaving her with head injuries.

Bizarrely, she even went to hospital demanding a brain scan despite having no injuries. Luckily, Mr Tallentire, a coach driver, was working in South Wales at the time driving Hull youngsters to a rugby game and had an alibi.

Judge Roger Thorn QC described her behaviour as “unforgivable”. He said: “The effect has been absolutely shattering on this family.

“You were to look after elderly and vulnerable people in their homes and this was a gross breach of trust.

“The money you stole is only part of the story as the gravity is the breach of trust. What you did to intimidate Mrs Tallentire was unforgivable. You then proceeded to make even more wicked allegations of assault by her son.”

Batey was jailed for 13 months after pleading guilty to two thefts, witness intimidation and perverting the course of justice.

The care worker had looked after terminally ill John Tallentire for two years before allegedly stealing 100. He died last February just weeks after reporting her to the police.

Mrs Tallentire, 60, said: “I had to come to court to see her sent to jail. I wanted justice for my husband. I will always remember the look on his face when he opened his wallet to find 100 missing. She had us both fooled.”

Batey, who has previously worked as a carer in Bridlington, stole a 50 Tesco gift card from Robert Watson in 2006 from his home in Hull, a year later she stole 20 from the purse of Mabel Brown in north Hull and in 2008 she was accused of taking 100 from Mr Tallentire.