A CARER who used cheques stolen from a pensioner she looked after to pay her bills has narrowly avoided prison.

Mother-of-two Samantha Dobson was spared jail after a judge heard she was of previous good character and wanted to pay back the money.

She was told by Judge Tony Briggs: “I think you appreciate how miserable and mean your conduct was on this occasion.”

Dobson, 23, from Darlington, admitted six charges of fraud between August 2009 and May last year when she appeared in court.

Teesside Crown Court heard how she wrote cheques to the value of about £2,000 from the account of a 68-yearold woman.

Dobson was employed through an agency to look after the pensioner, who had learning and physical disabilities.

Prosecutor Richard Parsell told the court that suspicions were raised last September when the woman’s account became overdrawn.

Social services chiefs alerted police who discovered cheques had been written to Darlington Borough Council and an insurance firm.

Dobson had also made out cheques to herself, a mobile phone company and a clothing store, Mr Parsell told the court.

When she was interviewed, the carer expressed remorse and said she wanted to pay back the money but was advised not to.

The court heard that the bank reimbursed the pensioner, and could seek to claw back its losses from Dobson, of Grangemoor Close.

Dan Cordey, mitigating, provided Judge Briggs with three references from people supporting her.

Passing a suspended prison sentence with supervision, the judge told her: “Be under no illusion, it really was a miserable performance.

“Happily, it didn’t result in a direct loss to (the victim), but I have no doubt it caused her a considerable amount of upset and worry.

“You must understand that, as far as positions of trust are concerned, where you are handling other people’s money, this sentence is likely to have a significant knock-on effect.”

The six-month prison sentence was suspended for two years and Dobson was ordered to undergo 12 months of Probation Service supervision.