A THIEVING care assistant was caught red-handed stealing cash from a Sheffield pensioner with dementia - after her victim's family rigged up CCTV cameras to film her in the act.
Callous Michelle Bradshaw was trapped after the suspicious family of 77-year-old Joyce Nadin fixed hidden cameras in the living room and bedroom of Mrs Nadin's Sheffield home.
Mrs Nadin's daughter Janet Womersley also put bank notes, marked in ultraviolet ink with her mother's name and address, inside the pensioner's purse.
When the money disappeared Bradshaw was arrested - and was found carrying the marked notes.
Today the 40-year-old is facing the prospect of jail after admitting six counts of theft.
Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard she blamed the credit crunch, her husband and daughter's expensive hobbies, and a holiday for forcing her to steal £160.
Bewildered Mrs Nadin, flanked by her family, told The Star: "She has hurt me so much."
Robert Coyne, prosecuting, said Bradshaw, of Musgrave Road, Shirecliffe, had worked for Sheffield Council's dementia team Care4U for three years looking after Mrs Nadin.
He said the housebound Alzheimer's sufferer, of nearby Musgrave Crescent, relied heavily on the service and had two visits a day from carers.
But in July Mrs Nadin's daughter became concerned money she had left for her mother from her pension was going missing.
"She knew her mother couldn't have spent it because she is housebound," Mr Coyne said.
The family set up secret cameras in two rooms of Mrs Nadin's house and, before long, Bradshaw was filmed stealing. Police were called, Bradshaw was arrested, and she confessed.
Mr Coyne told the court she blamed her crimes on the expense of her husband and daughter's hobbies.
"Due to the credit crunch she couldn't afford to finance them, and they had a holiday booked and she didn't want to use the money she'd saved for that," he said.
The case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and Bradshaw was warned she could go to jail.
Afterwards Mrs Womersley told The Star: "You have carers in thinking they're going to look after your mother, and you expect them to look after your mum the way they would want their parents to be looked after."
Her brother David added: "This has had an impact on the whole family and it has been very upsetting for mum. She is terrified of anyone who looks like Bradshaw and she has lost all her trust in everybody else.
"We don't want Bradshaw to go out and get another job and do this to someone else's parents."
Eddie Sherwood, Sheffield Council's acting director of adult services, said there would be "a full and speedy investigation".
"This employee was suspended as soon as this matter came to light," he said. "Abuse of vulnerable people is absolutely despicable.
"We deplore the actions of anyone who betrays their trust and will take appropriate action to deal with them.
"The council works closely with the police and health service to safeguard vulnerable adults and has a dedicated team who will deal, in confidence, with concerns."
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