A distraught daughter has slammed a court’s decision after a carer who stole from her elderly father escaped a prison sentence.
Susan Pell, of Church Street, Pinchbeck, pleaded guilty to the theft of £20 and £30 on respective occasions from Peter Carpenter of Campion Close, Spalding.
When she appeared at Boston Magistrates’ Court last week, the 65-year-old was sentenced to carry out 150 hours’ community service and a one-year community order.
But Mr Carpenter’s daughter Lesley was left angry and upset by the court’s decision after the theft which, she says, has left her father – a former sailor in the Merchant Navy – heartbroken.
Lesley explained: “My dad is nearly 90 years old and is housebound so we decided about nine months ago that he needed extra care as I live in London and can’t get back here every day.
“He had a home visit from the opticians and needed money to pay for his glasses but, when he went to his wallet, he realised he was £40 short. He thought it was his fault.
“He might be housebound, but his mind is still as sharp as a button so we knew something was wrong.
“We had cameras installed in his house which showed that when the carer was taking dad out of the lounge for his bath she was going back in and taking money from his wallet.
“My dad was so upset when we showed him the footage – he was heartbroken.
“He always looked forward to seeing his carer and, if she had asked him, he would have given her the money.
“I was at the court hearing and just feel that she’s got away scot-free.
“She should be made to suffer for what my dad has gone through.
“I wanted her to be put in prison because, the crime she has committed, would not go down very well with the other prisoners.
“She has written us a letter of apology which I have shown my dad, but I’m not interested in hearing how sorry she is.
“I am so angry about what has happened – I can’t believe someone would have done this.”
In addition to the community penalties, Pell was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr Carpenter and a total of £170 in costs.
Her solicitor Sonya Bhalla said Pell had no previous convictions and had never been inside a courtroom before.
She said Pell had found herself in debt but could not offer any reason why she had stolen the money as she had no need to as she could have asked her husband for it.
Magistrates told Pell she had ‘betrayed the trust’ placed in her and said they had heard of the ‘distress and shock’ to the victim.
