Kimberworth care home manager jailed after stealing from patients

Lynne Thompson (45) embezzled cash from four residents during a three-year period when she was in charge of Church View Care Home in Kimberworth, which looks after mentally ill and elderly patients.

Thompson (pictured) was locked up for 36 months’ imprisonment — half of which she will serve on licence — after admitting four counts of fraud committed between July 2011 and November 2014.

Mr Peter Pimm, prosecuting at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, said Thompson, who had no previous convictions, had access to the patients’ debit cards and could withdraw money from their bank and post office accounts on their behalf.

The money was then put into individual wallets for each resident to access when they required.

Thompson, of Smithywood Road, Woodseats, would withdraw amounts of between £100 to £300 for patients, but record a lesser amount on the care home’s computer and pocket the rest for herself.

From her four victims she individually stole £14,599, £10,280, £9,710 and £7,900 respectively.

The police were able to calculate the amount she stole by comparing the amount she withdrew to the amount she recorded on the database.

Mr Pimm said: “She was not falsifying the records, she had correctly recorded what she had put in to the wallet, which was less than what she was obtaining from the bank account.”

Her crimes came to light after she confessed to her husband on November 7 last year, before coming clean to her employers.

Priory Care, which manages Church View, reimbursed the four victims.

Thompson, who had worked in the care industry for 28 years, handed herself in at Main Street police station, telling police: “I have stolen this money, I need to be stopped.”

In police interview, she said the money had been spent on clothes, gifts “and just stuff” and that she was in around £20,000 and £50,000 worth of debt.

The manager, who was earning £22,500 per annum, told police PIN numbers and bank cards were just easy for her to access and use.

The court heard it was unclear when her crimes started, leading the prosecuting to state that the charges related back to when her employment at the Church Street-based care home began.

Mr Richard Jepson, mitigating, said: “The company are themselves surprised at this behaviour.

“They described her as being passionate about the patients.”

Psychiatric reports referred to a possible  diagnosis of kleptomania — the inability to resist the urge to steal.

Mr Jepson, however, said he believed Thompson preferred the act of purchasing “and positive self-worth when she left the shop and bought the goods”.

The court heard that most of the time Thompson threw the goods she bought with stolen money away, given them to strangers or put them in a cupboard at home.

The fact she had given herself up was “refreshing and unusual”, Mr Jepson said.

His Honour Judge Goose QC, said: “Had it not been for her employer paying the victims back their money, they would have suffered considerably.”

A spokesman for Priory Group said: “As soon as this matter came to light, we immediately reported it to the police and refunded all money to our residents.

“We have been working closely with the authorities in their investigation and fully support this prosecution.”