Care worker stole more than £40,000 from vulnerable clients

Mother of four Alexandra Rust was trusted to look after two female Multiple Sclerosis sufferers but instead stole from them.

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said “They both have limited movement and limited communication.

“In order to assist them they have a number of carers.

“One of those was Alexandra Rust.”

Miss Bradley said Rust was employed to care for one, and on an adhoc basis she would care for the other.

“She was a trusted carer,” she added.

Miss Bradley said that one of the victims had previously been the victim of a fraud but during the investigation into that matter police discovered that Rust had also been taking money.

Over the course of eight months she took £40,000 mostly from one of her client’s Barclaycard account but also withdrew money from cash machines and from a joint account held by the two women.

At one point she transferred £6,000 from one of the women’s account into the other’s account in an attempt to cover-up the fraud.

Miss Bradley said: “The overall loss is £41,250.

“The victims have expressed complete sadness that their trusting nature was disrespected in such a serious way.

“They are particularly vulnerable victims. They had no choice but to rely on their carers.”

The court was told that Rust was dismissed from her job for breach of confidentiality and it was only afterwards that the fraud offences came to light.

Rust, 40, of Shaw Road, Boston, admitted three offences of fraud. She was jailed for two years.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told Rust: “You targeted particularly vulnerable people.

“You took a total of £41,250 over a period of eight months. This was a gross breach of trust.”

Richard Veni, in mitigation, said that Rust had no previous convictions and admitted the offences at the first court hearing.

He told the court: “She comes from a good family. She has not always been a bad person.”

Following the conclusion of the case, a spokesman for Lincolnshire Police told The Standard: “This was a despicable crime against vulnerable victims who relied on Rust but had their trust breached in a deplorable way.”