“Cold, cruel and calculated” carer jailed for fraud
York Carer Jailed After Stealing £17,000 from Vulnerable Residents to Fund Gambling and Takeaways
Last updated 15th Apr 2025
A senior support worker at a York care home has been jailed for exploiting elderly and vulnerable residents, stealing over £17,000 to fund a gambling habit and online shopping spree.
Cheryl Louise Pratt, 35, used her trusted position to access and manipulate the bank details of residents under her care, diverting their funds to herself between August 2020 and September 2021. Her actions were described as “cold, cruel and calculated” by investigators.
Pratt’s crimes came to light when a relative of one of the victims noticed unusual activity on a resident’s bank account. An internal investigation by the care home led to her dismissal, and North Yorkshire Police launched a full inquiry.
Officers found that Pratt had created online accounts using the names of multiple residents, transferring money from their bank accounts into these accounts and then into her own. Most of the stolen funds were spent on gambling websites. She also used residents' details to order takeaway food, clothes, and gifts for her family.
Despite initially claiming the residents had given her permission to withdraw the money, medical professionals overseeing their care confirmed that none were capable of offering informed consent.
Pratt was charged with five counts of fraud and pleaded guilty at York Crown Court. On Tuesday 15 April 2025, she was sentenced to two years in prison.
Detective Constable Oliver Dalby, who led the investigation, said: “Cheryl Pratt’s offending was cold, cruel and calculated.
As a senior carer, she knew which residents would be the most vulnerable to financial exploitation – and these were the people she targeted.
She abused her position, disregarding her duty to safeguard the care home residents in pursuit of her own self-interest.
The victims and her former colleagues have been left utterly devastated by her actions, and it is right that she faces the consequences of her crimes.”
He also thanked the victims and care home staff for their “patience and support” during the investigation.