Ex-boss who stole £2,000 from Wolverhampton care home residents is jailed
A former care home manager, who stole more than £2,000 from vulnerable residents where she worked, has been jailed for nine months.
Cherilyn Withers, aged 30, had worked at Glenthorne House Care Home in Bilston since 2008, but began stealing money from the safe in April 2012, which she admitted to.
Withers, of Mayhurst Close, Princes End, Tipton, also faced three burglary charges relating to money she had stolen from her next door neighbour in October and November last year.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday that Withers had stolen £2,395.73 from 19 of the 25 residents at the home between April 3, 2012, and November 3 the same year.
Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said Withers had abused her position to take money from the safe. He said: "This is a home that 25 residents and a total of 19 residents had funds taken from the safe.
"She abused the responsibility which was invested in her and the trust that goes with that."
Mr Spratt also told the court that on three separate dates in October and November, Withers had entered her next door neighbour's house using a key and stole money that was being saved for her son.
Mr Christopher O'Gorman, for Withers, said the mother-of-one had breached the trust that had been placed in her. He said: "She had breached the trust of her employer, the residents of the home and her neighbour. She had throughout her life an excellent work ethic and, until these offences began, been a woman of good character.
"She is a loving mother and this is going to hit her harder than most."
Judge John Wait said he had reduced the sentences for the benefit of her child and not because he sympathised with her. He sentenced her to three months in prison for the theft from the care home, and six months in prison for the three counts of burglary.
Speaking after the hearing, Evelyn Dell, who owns Glenthorne House, said: "It could have been a bit longer, but she has taken money away from the residents. We have had to give that them back and that means there is less money in the pot for us to do nice things for the residents, so she has taken from them twice."
