Care home worker stole £50,000 from residents to fund cocaine habit

A nursing home worker stole £50,000 from elderly residents to fund his cocaine habit. Jaspal Sandhar, 25, also spent the cash on hiring flash cars, buying designer clothes and gambling at casinos.

All his three victims lived at The Willows Nursing Home in Higher Broughton, Salford, Greater Manchester, which is owned by one of Sandhar’s relatives.

One was a 90-year-old lady who has since died, and the others were a 67-year-old woman and 57-year-old man, both of whom have medical conditions.

The nursing home fees of the three were withdrawn from their banks but their credit and debit cards were available to Sandhar in the home’s office.

Salford magistrates’ court was told he obtained £14,209 from the account of Marjorie Thorpe, who has since died. He also took £17,278 from the account of Paula Nelson, and £18,724 from Brian Roy.

Sandhar admitted three counts of fraud by false representation between October 2008 and April this year.

Holly Holden, prosecuting, said Sandhar’s role at the home meant he was able to drive to the Post Office to withdraw money from the three residents’ accounts.

She said he had stolen more than £50,000 to finance his cocaine habit and also hire prestige cars and buy clothes and shoes.

She asked for the case to be sent to Crown Court for sentencing, so there could be a proceeds of crime hearing too.

The court was told it was Sandhar’s first offence.

He was arrested after an investigation by Salford police’s vulnerable adult unit.

Officers searched Bluebell Court, part of the Willows, and further searches were made at Sandhar’s address at the time in Muirfield Avenue, Tyldesley, Wigan, Lancashire.

District Judge Jonathon Finestein described the offences as ‘very serious’ and ordered Sandhar, of Hatch Lane, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, to reappear before magistrates on August 23 for committal.