Leicester Care Home Boss Stole From Vulnerable

A care home deputy manager stole cash from residents with learning difficulties and misused his employer’s credit card.

Mark Stone (31), who has been jailed for 12 months, pocketed £1,250 belonging to the most vulnerable residents, who were least likely to notice their spending money was gone.

He admitted five offences of theft from people in his care and theft of £4,784 using the care home’s business credit card – which he continued to use after leaving Leicester’s Halifax Drive Care Home and moving to Spain.

Passing sentence at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Judge Charles Wide QC said: “You’ve admitted desperately mean offences.

“The worst wasn’t the theft from your employer, though that’s bad enough, in breach of trust.

“It’s the £1,250 you took from five disabled vulnerable residents.”

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said the home, run by Craigmore Health Care, housed 34 residents, aged 18 to 70, with moderate to severe learning difficulties.

They were unable to live alone and had little family support.

Ms Rose said: “Victims were deliberately chosen because of their vulnerability.

“They weren’t likely to understand what had happened or even that money was missing.”

Stone, whose most recent address was given as Rose Avenue, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, misused the home’s money warrant system to pocket sums from residents’ personal allowances.

He also misused the business Barclaycard on a regular basis, making withdrawals of cash.

The offences were committed between May and July 2005.

Steven Newcombe, defending, said: “He’s never been in trouble before and it’s been an extremely difficult time for him.

“He’d worked for the company for a number of years and transferred to this care home in late 2004.

“There were a number of financial reasons for his offending.

“He bought a house with his partner and they couldn’t afford it.

“His mental health was failing. He began the most stupid of things – to gamble. Of course, he lost.

“Desperate for money, he resorted to the conduct we’ve heard about.

“By May 2005 he’d taken small amounts of money and it escalated.

“He decided to make a break and moved to Spain with his partner, working as a chef.

“He then told his partner what he had done and they decided to come back to the UK and he went to the police station.

“He’s deeply remorseful and very ashamed.

“He’s determined never to appear before a criminal court again.”