Fleetwood carer who stole from vulnerable woman with dementia spared jail

A disgraced carer who stole from a man she was looking after and went on to steal from her friend who was a vulnerable dementia patient has been spared jail.

Victoria Chorlton, 41, was sacked from her job as a carer in 2019 after she was caught helping herself to cash from the wallet of a man she was trusted to care for.

In 2020, Chorlton met a woman she previously looked after and rekindled their friendship - becoming an informal carer for the woman, who suffered with dementia.

Claire Brocklebank, prosecuting, said Chorlton took food to the woman and helped her with household chores.

But in October 2020, police were informed Chorlton had signed a contract with a pawnbroker agreeing she would receive £20 for two tablets.

If the items were not collected by the October 10, they would become the property of Money Traders, Preston Crown Court was told.

The tablets belonged to the elderly woman - Chorlton had no authority to sell them on.

Chorlton, of Windsor Terrace, Fleetwood, was arrested and said she had met the woman when she worked as a carer, but denied any knowledge of the theft.

But in November 2021 she told police she wanted to "come clean" and said a Kindle Fire tablet was hers but the Samsung Galaxy tablet belonged to the pensioner.

She also claimed she had intended to buy the items back but had not been able to before she was arrested.

As a result of the theft, the victim's care manager said she had lost confidence in her own judgement and said she was not confident she could live independently.

She frequently speaks of going into a home.

The court heard that Chorlton had a traumatic upbringing and was struggling with binge drinking and that she had complied with a community order handed down when she stole from the man she was caring for.

She was given a nine month sentence suspended for two years with 20 rehabilitation days and an alcohol treatment requirement.

Judge Guy Mathieson, sentencing, said: "I don't know how you live with yourself. It is disgusting behaviour and you did it not just once but you did it again, during your community order."

However, the judge said in the two years since the offence came to light Chorlton has not committed any further offences and has taken steps to tackle her drink problems and distance herself from negative influences.

He said: "I will give you a second chance - your last chance."