A CARER defrauded more than £20,000 from the vulnerable woman who she was looking after.

Amanda Henderson, 50, committed the offence over almost a two-year period against her victim who was bedbound, blind and suffered from dementia.

Henderson, of Southbourne Grove, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position in August and appeared for sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday.

Judge Stephen Climie gave the defendant the opportunity to prove herself to the courts by deferring sentence for six months.

He set an expectation that she should save at least £1,000 for an initial compensation payment ahead of a hearing in March next year at the same court.

However, he told Henderson that she should not assume meeting this requirement would guarantee her freedom.

Prosecuting, Jonathan Underhill said a standing order payment had been set up in relation to the care support the defendant provided to the victim.

However, it came to light that she had also been regularly transferring funds from the elderly woman’s bank account into her own account.

Mr Underhill said the overall sum of money obtained fraudulently was £20,829.44.

The court heard that the amount transferred varied significantly, with it being as little as £40 on some occasions, but other instances involved sums of £3,000 and £5,000.

The prosecutor said it seemed she would transfer “as much as she thought she could get away with in each individual transaction”.

References on the transactions frequently included the word “care” or “shop” to attempt to appear legitimate, said Mr Underhill.

Two transactions were also completed to an account in the name of Henderson’s partner, the court heard.

“In the course of 2017, the victim was bedbound, had dementia and was blind,” said Mr Underhill.

“She was considered to be extremely vulnerable at the time.”

The court was told an attempt to set up online banking using the victim’s account was made using an email address containing the defendant’s name, but this was blocked by Santander.

Mr Underhill said the offence had a high impact, noting the particular vulnerability of the victim due to her age and general infirmity.

The defendant had no relevant previous convictions.

Mitigating, Timothy Compton said while the custody threshold had been crossed, it would be appropriate to suspended the term of imprisonment.

Henderson, who runs a cleaning company and also works at BP, said she could save £200 a month for compensation, Mr Compton told the court.

Judge Climie said anyone who stole in the circumstances in which Henderson did is “inevitably at risk” of going to prison.

“It is clear you provided some significant care to her,” said Judge Climie. “At the same time you were stealing from her knowing her vulnerabilities.”

The judge said now some years on from the offending, it was most important that the victim’s family receive the money they are entitled to.

He warned the defendant that committing any further offences or failing to save money, unless there is a real excuse, will see her put behind bars at the hearing in March.