A fraudster stole almost £10,000 from a 91-year-old she was caring for and spent it on fast food and tanning shops.
The 32-year-old care worker took nearly £10,000 from the dementia sufferer whose husband she was employed to look after.
Danielle Houghton from Lancaster used the stolen bank card to withdraw £7,700 in cash and attempted to take another £800.
The stolen funds were used on sunbed sessions, sports retailers, fast food outlets, online gambling platforms, streaming services and everyday purchases including fuel, tobacco and drinks.
Her spending began immediately after taking the card in late November 2023.
The theft continued until the elderly woman's children discovered the unauthorised transactions and alerted authorities.
Preston Crown Court was told that Houghton's victim lived with dementia whilst her 92-year-old husband, whom Houghton was hired to assist, was confined to bed.
Both elderly individuals passed away while police were investigating the case.
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Danielle Houghton from Lancaster used the stolen bank card to withdraw £7,700 in cash and attempted to take another £800
|LANCASHIRE POLICE
The court heard evidence of Houghton's systematic exploitation, which involved unauthorised card use for various personal expenses.
Her fraudulent activity came to light when family members spotted suspicious transactions on bank statements.
Houghton, residing on Buttermere Road in Lancaster, admitted charges of theft and fraud by false representation.
The prosecution detailed how she betrayed the trust placed in her as a professional carer.
The court heard evidence of Houghton's systematic exploitation
|The victim's son revealed his mother's haunting words in court: "Something bad has been done to me, but I cannot remember what it is."
He described how this "heartbreaking phrase" became her persistent worry, telling the court: "She carried that desolate anxiety to her grave, unable to quietly enjoy the tranquillity of her home and garden in her final months, haunted by a distress she couldn't resolve."
He added that Houghton's crimes had "regrettably tarnished the reputation of care providers in a sector already facing immense challenges."
The victim's daughter expressed sorrow that her mother "died, knowing that she couldn't trust those coming into her house to help care for her bed-bound husband."
The judge imposed a prison term of two years and nine months on Houghton for her calculated exploitation of the vulnerable pensioner.
Detective Constable Peter Bennett from Lancaster CID condemned the defendant's "despicable" and "selfish actions" against her elderly victim.
He welcomed the custodial sentence as both an appropriate punishment and a deterrent to potential offenders considering similar crimes.
Mr Bennett highlighted the additional anguish inflicted on the family, he said: "Their mother died not knowing that the person responsible for taking half her life savings had faced justice, and their father also died during the course of the investigation, which increases the suffering of the family."
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