Care home boss stole thousands from residents

Parkside Care Home, Werneth.

THE acting deputy manager of an Oldham care home stole £38,000 from residents and their families in little more than 12 months in the role.

Martina Campbell (43) began taking cash because she was struggling financially, but she found it “so easy” that greed took over, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Campbell splashed out on an exotic holiday to Mauritius and spent lavishly on clothes and other items for her daughter and herself.

She was caught out when discrepancies in the finances of a 71-year-old male resident at the Parkside home on Edward Avenue prompted an investigation.

Jailing her for two years, Judge Leslie Hull said: “This was a massive breach of trust on your part. There was nothing particularly sophisticated about it. You manipulated bank accounts and got caught.”

Kim Irving, prosecuting, said Campbell had stolen more than £8,000 from the elderly man, after taking charge of his bank cards and financial documents.

Last July a financial affairs officer from Oldham Council took charge of the man’s affairs and found payments to Next, River Island and Virgin Holidays. An investigation revealed Campbell had also stolen from a disabled resident. In just over a year, his bank account had been reduced from £15,000 to £2.23.

The investigation showed £7,640 had been stolen from money families had paid to the home for their relatives’ care.

The court was told any documents that could have proved incriminating had been removed by Campbell.

Virginia Hayton, defending, said her client had made a “significant and positive impact” on people’s lives in her job and what she had done was totally out of character.

Campbell had pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud and five of theft.