Care worker jailed for stealing from vulnerable patients

A care worker from Carlisle has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment  for stealing from the elderly victims she was paid to care for. Donna Sams, 31, of Greystone Rd, Carlisle worked for a care agency based in Carlisle. She appeared before Mr Recorder Nuttall today in Carlisle Crown Court after pleading guilty to ten charges of theft.

Today’s sentencing follows a complex investigation that took place over a number of months by investigators from Cumbria Constabulary’s Public Protection Unit. Sams was eventually caught ‘red handed’ after taking one vulnerable victim to the bank to withdraw thousands of pounds, knowing that her victim did not have the mental capacity to understand the value of the money or what she was doing with it.

Following her arrest in March 2012, police worked closely with Bluebird Care Agency and Adult Social Care in order to identify additional victims and eventually uncovered evidence that proved Sams stole a total of £3,940 from six elderly people.

DC Carolyn Willacy is the investigating officer in the case. She said: “This was a particularly difficult investigation as Sams deliberately targeted her victims by choosing the most vulnerable in our society, knowing that her victims would be unaware, too afraid, or too confused to report when money went missing. She was a callous, heartless individual who has shown no remorse at all and only admitted to the thefts when faced with irrefutable evidence.

“Her victims included an 86 year old woman who suffered from memory loss, diminished eyesight and poor hearing. Sams admitted to helping herself to £280, £150 and £80 on separate occasions from this lady’s purse as she sat beside her, chatting, and knowing her victim could not see what she was doing.

“She also callously stole £900 from another victim who lay seriously ill and helpless awaiting the arrival of an ambulance. When later interviewed by police and
asked why she had chosen to steal from this particularly vulnerable patient, Sams said ‘because it was easy’.

“She manipulated and deceived her employers and colleagues as well as those she was paid to care for. The court heard that Sams used the stolen money to purchase
fights to New Zealand with a luxury stopover in Sydney, Australia.

“She began a web of lies to gain the sympathy and trust of her elderly clients, telling them she was saving to fly back to New Zealand to see her young daughter – the investigation proved that this daughter does not exist.

“All of the elderly victims we identified live with very few luxuries and do not have the means to replace the stolen money. As Sams has undermined their ability to manage their own finances, she has taken from them the little independence they had left.

“Police, along with partner agencies, are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities. We will do everything we can to keep them safe and
will pursue those who target them to bring them before the courts. It is important that we safeguard the people in our neighbourhoods who need it most so if you
have suspicions that they are being targeted by criminals, please come forward and contact police.

“In this case, a Proceeds of crime order has been made so that Cumbria Constabulary can work on the victims’ behalf to get the money back that they deserve.

A care worker from Carlisle has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment today for stealing from the elderly victims she was paid to care for.

Donna Sams, 31, of Greystone Rd, Carlisle worked for a care agency based in Carlisle. She appeared before Mr Recorder Nuttall today in Carlisle Crown Court after pleading guilty to ten charges of theft.

Today’s sentencing follows a complex investigation that took place over a number of months by investigators from Cumbria Constabulary’s Public Protection Unit. Sams was eventually caught ‘red handed’ after taking one vulnerable victim to the bank to withdraw thousands of pounds, knowing that her victim did not have the mental capacity to understand the value of the money or what she was doing with it.

Following her arrest in March 2012, police worked closely with Bluebird Care Agency and Adult Social Care in order to identify additional victims and eventually uncovered evidence that proved Sams stole a total of £3,940 from six elderly people.

DC Carolyn Willacy is the investigating officer in the case. She said: “This was a particularly difficult investigation as Sams deliberately targeted her victims by
choosing the most vulnerable in our society, knowing that her victims would be unaware, too afraid, or too confused to report when money went missing. She was
a callous, heartless individual who has shown no remorse at all and only admitted to the thefts when faced with irrefutable evidence.

“Her victims included an 86 year old woman who suffered from memory loss, diminished eyesight and poor hearing. Sams admitted to helping herself to £280,
£150 and £80 on separate occasions from this lady’s purse as she sat beside her, chatting, and knowing her victim could not see what she was doing.

“She also callously stole £900 from another victim who lay seriously ill and helpless awaiting the arrival of an ambulance. When later interviewed by police and asked why she had chosen to steal from this particularly vulnerable patient, Sams said ‘because it was easy’.

“She manipulated and deceived her employers and colleagues as well as those she was paid to care for. The court heard that Sams used the stolen money to purchase fights to New Zealand with a luxury stopover in Sydney, Australia.

“She began a web of lies to gain the sympathy and trust of her elderly clients, telling them she was saving to fly back to New Zealand to see her young daughter – the investigation proved that this daughter does not exist.

“All of the elderly victims we identified live with very few luxuries and do not have the means to replace the stolen money. As Sams has undermined their ability to manage their own finances, she has taken from them the little independence they had left.

“Police, along with partner agencies, are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities. We will do everything we can to keep them safe and will pursue those who target them to bring them before the courts. It is important that we safeguard the people in our neighbourhoods who need it most so if you have suspicions that they are being targeted by criminals, please come forward and contact police.

“In this case, a Proceeds of crime order has been made so that Cumbria Constabulary can work on the victims’ behalf to get the money back that they deserve.”