Former Malvern care home manager given suspended sentence after stealing £22,500 from resident
Ann Comer, 58, used a vulnerable dementia patient's bank card to fund her lifestyle, including a holiday to Dubai
A former Malvern care home manager has been given a suspended sentence after abusing her position to steal £22,500 from a vulnerable resident.
Ann Comer, 58, of Waterfield Road, Hereford, was convicted of six counts of fraud by abuse of position at Worcester Crown Court yesterday (Monday 6 July) and sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months.
The court heard her offences related to her time at Springfield House a dementia care home in Malvern where he joined as a manager in April 2016.
In 2019 Comer was reported to the police after suspicions that she had used the bank card of a resident with dementia to make withdrawals and purchases.
West Mercia Police say Comer denied this during an interview.
An investigation by West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) later found Comer moved the victim into the home before stealing her bank card and withdrawing on average £1,400 a month from cash machines.
She also used it in stores and made withdrawals the day before flying out on a holiday to Dubai.
Officers were able to prove the fraud after linking the cash withdrawals to Comer through the use of a Matalan store card.
In total Comer stole around £22,500 from her victim.
Detective Constable Conal O’Leary from the ECU said:“We are pleased to secure this conviction against Comer who maintained her innocence throughout this investigation and court case.
“She abused her position of trust to defraud a vulnerable person of a large sum of money to support her own lifestyle, including a holiday to Dubai.
“She took advantage of one of the very people she should be taking care of and should never be placed in such a role ever again.”