A "wicked" former carer who stole from a pensioner's home and helped herself to all of her savings has been put behind bars for 16 months.
Grandmother Mandy Murphy, aged 52, cared for the victim, 93, in her own home until she was moved to a hospital.
Murphy, from Anglesey, Wales, was said to have a "shopping addiction" and stole £9,000 from the pensioner's Post Office account in a total of 16 withdrawals.
She spent the cash on clothes, presents and carpets, as reported by North Wales Live.
Murphy had pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and burglary.
The prosecution called her crimes "cruel and wicked" and a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court in Wales on January 21 sentenced her to 16 months in jail for fraud and 12 months for burglary, to run concurrently.
Prosecutor Maria Masellis told the court the victim Winifred Egerton lived alone in Benllech. She was bedbound, suffered from Alzheimer's and was insulin dependent.
She relied completely on care nurses coming in every day. One was the defendant.
But in 2020 Mrs Egerton was moved into hospital and in October or November that year Murphy took spare keys from a safe on a wall, knowing they were there for carers, and went into Mrs Egerton's home.
She was familiar with the house having used to turn over Mrs Egerton to prevent bed sores. She stole a Post Office account book from a bedroom drawer.
Between December 2 and December 21, 2020 she visited PO branches on Anglesey and in Bangor. She stole £600 on 16 occasions until the last time when she took the remaining balance of £210. In total, Murphy stole £9,210.
The court heard the burglary and fraud came to light when Mrs Egerton's daughter Julie Webb arrived and noticed items were missing.
She contacted police and CCTV footage showed Murphy withdrawing cash from the PO branches.
Officers arrested Murphy and eventually she admitted her crimes.
She had had a shopping addiction, was in debt and the "temptation was too much". She bought clothes, presents and carpets.
The prosecutor Ms Masellis said Mrs Webb called the crimes "cruel and wicked". The only "good thing" is that Mrs Egerton is unaware of the offences due to her condition, said the barrister.
Richard Edwards, defending, said his client is remorseful, ashamed and embarrassed about her behaviour.
She blames being in debt, stopping her anti-depressants and a shopping addiction "as opposed to simply greed".
"The court may raise its eyebrows to that suggestion but she has been seeking treatment and diagnosis in hospital and she is awaiting counselling and therapy."
He said there had been "no snooping, no planning". The defendant had been familiar with the bedroom from turning over the victim.
The PO withdrawals had been "in plain sight".
He said: "It was cruel offending but in no way sophisticated and it was clearly going to come to light."
The case had been adjourned several times and with a possible prison sentence expected, "she had spent last night and two previous occasions saying goodbye to her children and grandchildren because she knew the seriousness of the situation."
The judge His Honour Timothy Petts told Murphy it had been a "despicable abuse of trust placed in you by your employer and Mrs Egerton."
Her mother may be unaware of the crimes but her daughter Mrs Webb suffered untold stress and anxiety.
At today's sentencing hearing, it was said that the prosecution still hadn't been able to confirm whether the money had been repaid.
The prosecution has asked the police to contact the bank.
An officer has contacted Barclays but the prosecutor said "You can't speak to anyone at Barclays. It has to be done by email."
The judge assumed the money has been repaid, depending upon further enquiries, the court heard.
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