Former Plymouth care home manager accused of stealing from residents

A FORMER care home manager has appeared in court accused of stealing and swindling tens of thousand of pounds from elderly residents.

Jennie Preston, aged 51, faced Plymouth magistrates to answer 11 charges of theft, fraud and false accounting.

Preston, who used to be in charge of the Dewi-Sant Residential Home in Mannamead, is accused of obtaining cheques made out to herself for £29,840 by fraudulently claiming that the money was for care fees between April 2008 and March last year.

She also allegedly falsely and fraudulently claimed to a man acting as power of attorney for a female resident that £21,829 was due in care fees between August 2009 and April 2010.

Preston, of Stone Barton Close in Plympton, is further accused of seven charges of theft from residents, stealing money totalling £41,985 between 2007 and 2010.

She is charged with false accounting by changing the personal allowance accounts of residents at the home in Eggbuckland Road by recording false spending on hairdressing and chiropody.

Preston also allegedly falsified paying in slips for care fees to Mannarest Ltd, the private company which is the registered owner of the home.

She is finally charged with ill-treating or neglecting a woman who lacked ‘mental capacity’.

Preston has not yet entered any pleas to the charges.

Magistrates have ruled that the case is so serious that it must be heard at Plymouth Crown Court.

The case was adjourned for two weeks while papers are prepared.

Preston was released on unconditional bail to appear again before magistrates on March 15.

It is understood she is no longer manager at the home.

The current manager, on behalf of the owners, declined to comment.

The home is registered as having 32 beds with Plymouth City Council and cares for elderly people, some with dementia.