A DESPICABLE deputy care home manager admitted stealing nearly £4,400 from a vulnerable resident.

Kelly Davies, 44, pleaded guilty to stealing the bank card and PIN of a resident at Herondale, Basildon, and helping herself to £4,395 from the woman’s account.

Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard she made 17 withdrawals between August 7 and October 14.

The victim was a 61-year-old vulnerable woman with reduced mental capacity, who was able to manage her finances with the help of staff at the care home.

Bench chairman Nicola Moulds said Davies, of Kent View Road, Vange, took full advantage of this.

She said: “You deliberately targeted one of the more vulnerable residents and you continued these offences over a period of time because you thought you could get away with the thefts.

“This breach of trust you have exhibited with this behaviour is utterly despicable.”

Prosecutor Jenny Smith told the court the thefts came to light because the victim, who makes cash withdrawals as and when she needs to, noticed a large amount of money was missing from her account.

She raised the issue with manager Jean Austin.

After Davies failed to turn up for work, Miss Austin visited her home, where she admitted to the crimes. She also told her she had taken an overdose of paracetamol the night before.

Davies was then suspended from work, and later made a full admission in a police interview.

Her solicitior Denise Cole told the court: “She tells me that at the time she was suffering from depression, which she had suffered from for years, and had financial hardship at the time.

“She tells me she regrets what she did – she did it once, twice, and couldn’t stop, so when it came to light, she was relieved.

“She did go to work the day after the matter came to light and said she heard about it the evening before her employer came to see her and she tried to kill herself because she was so ashamed.

“She had breached the trust of her employer.”

Davies will be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, March 4.

Magistrates’ courts are only able to impose sentences of up to six months imprisonment.

A spokesman for MCCH, which runs the care home, said: “Our duty of care is always with our residents and we alerted the police immediately.

“The employee was suspended and shortly after resigned.

“We fully expect that the money will be paid back in full to our resident.”