Wolverhampton care boss stole £1,144 - while earning £53,000 a year

A care boss stole more than £1,000 from her employer while taking home a salary of £53,000.

Paula Goodyear defrauded Wolverhampton-based CM Community Care Services of £1,144 while the company, which employed her since 1999, was experiencing financial difficulties.

The 42-year-old banked the money while employed as a senior care co-ordinator for the firm, which helps people live independently in their own homes by offering services including assistance with cleaning, laundry and shopping.

Wolverhampton Magistrates Court was told how she asked the family of a elderly woman to write out a cheque, which should have been payable to the firm, in her name during 2007.

The cash was paid for 10 sessions of care and supervision. Goodyear, of Old Park Road, Dudley, also falsified paperwork to imply she had worked all 10 shifts herself when she had actually only done four, the court was told.

She pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position yesterday and the case was adjourned until November 24 for a pre-sentence report.

Read the full story in today's Express & Star