Suspended Gosport carer stole from pensioner, 87, who died 2 months later

Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard how Shannon Osborne, 23, had been suspended from her job as a community carer when she was handed a police caution for taking cash.

But that did not stop her preying on 87-year-old Hilda Webster, rifling through her handbag and taking cash from her purse, a credit card and note of the PIN.

Prosecutor Graham Heath said Osborne ‘took it upon herself to enter the (victim’s) property’ last summer despite being suspended.

Between July 17-20, Osborne made nine transactions on the pensioner’s card, withdrawing cash three times to a total of £550.

Spends on the card include £11.75 at Greggs and £124.56 at The Range. Mr Heath said she fraudulently used the card to take £731.42 overall.

The victim was in poor health at the time and died in September just two months after the theft, the court was told.

Mr Heath said Osborne had been suspended from Crescent Community Care by June 2019 for a similar crime predating the one against Ms Webster, and ‘should not have been in the property committing the theft’.

District judge Gary Lucie ruled she had to be sentenced on the basis she was in the property lawfully, despite having been suspended from work.

He told lawyers in court: ‘This hasn't exactly been investigated very well has it?’

He added: ‘It’s not really satisfactory knowing what’s happened here. In the pre-sentence report it says she was working for Crescent Care as her carer - that’s when she accepts doing this.’

Sentencing, judge Lucie imposed an eight-month jail term suspended for a year with 25 rehabilitation activity days.

He said they were ‘serious offences’ involving a breach of trust and the victim was in her home and ‘should have felt safe there’.

Osborne, who broke down in tears in the dock, must pay £200 to the estate of the deceased victim.

The judge said: ‘I don’t know what impact it had on her or whether she even knew about it.’

He added: ‘Because of your mental health I’m not going to send you to prison today.’

‘I’m going to suspend that sentence – I believe it’s more important that you undertake some rehabilitation rather than send you straight into custody.’

He said there had been a ‘suggestion’ Osborne ‘might have been using her uniform and going’ into the victim’s home after being suspended.

Osborne, of Elson, Gosport, admitted theft of £200 on July 16, 2019, and fraud by false representation taking £731.42 between July 17 and 18.

Lian Webster, for Osborne, said she had written a letter of apology and struggled with mental health. She has no previous convictions.

Marcus Kerridge-McColl, director of the Southsea-based care company Osborne worked for, said there was no information on a DBS check when she was hired.

Osborne was suspended as soon as they were told she was suspected of taking money.

He said: ‘If there is any concern, we will contact the service users and change any security that may have been compromised.

‘This was done immediately and we worked closely with social services and the police to ensure all information was accessible.

‘We also informed other regulatory authorities and confirmed that we as a company were not at fault.

‘We were fortunate that the employee admitted to the police the theft and dealt with disciplinary procedures immediately.

‘We, like many other care companies, do not condone any form of this behaviour and will always work with the authorities to ensure that these people are dealt with by the law.

‘Nearly all care workers are doing an amazing job and are honest and respectful, as proved recently through the pandemic and are often unrecognised for their daily commitment.

‘However, there are a minority of people who take advantage of the privileged position they hold for their own selfish gain and give the rest of the care industry a tarnished name.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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