Reading carers who repeatedly stole from elderly jailed

• Video report by ITV News Meridian's Penny Silvester

Two carers from Reading who repeatedly stole from residents they looked after have been jailed.

Nicolae Malinche and Gabriel Cachit were both employed by Royal Care last year, when they targeted the elderly and vulnerable.

They stole jewellery, including an OBE medal, to then sell on at a nearby pawnbrokers.

Today (Wednesday 20th) a judge sentenced them to a total of five years and seven months.

One of their victims was 84-year-old Jill Laver who had terminal cancer.

She had moved in with her daughter shortly before going into a local hospice.

Support workers from Reading-based Royle Care were brought in to give extra support.

But instead of helping, they raided her jewellery box.

Jill's daughter Jo and her partner Ian Vass say they are still reeling from the shock of discovering that while Jo's mother was supposed to be being looked after in her final days, her carers were stealing from her.

In a virtual hearing, Reading Crown Court was told that when Malinche and Cachit were arrested, a hoard of watches and jewellery was found at their home.

The items belonged to several other pensioners in their care, most of them were in their 90s.

A spokesperson for Royal Care said that when recruiting workers they carry out "all the required background checks". They say they "co-operated with the police investigation fully and with complete transparency".

None of Mrs Laver's jewellery was recovered.