Carer caught stealing on camera avoids jail

Lynette Nardone forked out more than £1,000 for CCTV at her home in Perton after becoming convinced that Nadia Summers was stealing from her.

Summers was seen stealing money from the 64-year-old, who suffers from a neuro-degenerative disease. Summers was caught taking money from Mrs Nardone's purse and stuffing it into her bra on three occasions. Footage was handed to the police and Summers, aged 24, of Chillington Drive in Codsall, was charged with theft.

She admitted the theft of £60 between November 5 and December 6 last year.

And at Cannock Magistrates Court yesterday, she was handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Today Mrs Nardone said she was left feeling 'violated and angry'.

Lynette Nardone told a court she felt she had 'no other option' but to set up expensive CCTV equipment after becoming convinced Summers was stealing from her.

A victim impact statement was read out to Cannock Magistrates Court yesterday.

Mr Giles Rowden, prosecuting, said Summers had taken the notes from Mrs Nardone's purse and stuffed them into her bra.

He said Mrs Nardone, aged 64, had noticed the money missing from her purse after coming out of hospital.

The court was told the thefts had taken away what little trust and faith Mrs Nardone had left.

Mrs Nardone said she had been 'genuinely fond of' Summers.

Mr Rowden added: "Clearly there's a vulnerable victim and the defendant was in a position of trust."

Summers pleaded guilty to the theft of £60 from Mrs Nardone between November 5 and December 6 last year when she appeared at court earlier this month.

At that hearing, an impact statement was also read out on behalf of Mrs Nardone.

It said: "Nadia's actions have cost me so much more than just £60 from my purse or £1,000 for cameras.

"She has taken away from me what little trust and faith I had left.

"It has been hard for me to accept that I need help, and allowing strangers into my home as carers, has been yet another challenge."

In mitigation, Mr Tony Randle said: "This is a case where this young lady has, for the sake of a very small amount of money, destroyed her own life."

He said it had also affected her own family as well as Mrs Nardone's.

"She did not stop to think about what she was doing," he added.

"She acted selfishly."

Mr Randle said she would now find it impossible to get another job as a carer and was searching for administrative work.

In addition to the suspended sentence Summers was also made the subject of a supervision order and given 180 hours of unpaid work.

She must also pay £1,060 in compensation, £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.