Trust-breaching carer squandered OAP's life savings on Hilton stay, Uber Eats and Amazon treats

Reuben Manor Residential & Dementia Care Home, inset, and Teesside Crown Court
-Credit:Terry Blackburn (main image)


A trust-breaching carer squandered an OAP's life savings on a Hilton hotel stay, Uber Eats and Amazon.

Nicola Wake, a former senior carer at Reuben Manor Residential & Dementia Care Home in Eaglescliffe, stole more than £12,000 from the pensioner who was around 100 years old. The Stockton mum swiped the woman's bank card from the staff office paying for taxi fares, Amazon parcels and Asda orders.

Wake also paid for a birthday trip to a Teesside hotel but was caught out when the woman's bank declined a payment and home colleagues raised suspicions with police. Officers later found the hotel receipt which detailed the carer's name and home address and she was arrested.

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Wake, 42, appeared at Teesside Crown Court, in Middlesbrough, to be sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud and one count of forgery. Outlining the case, Saba Shan said her victim - who died in 2022 - was a resident at the Yarm Road home where the defendant was employed.

The court heard the elderly woman was subject of a deprivation of liberty order issued in July 2017 and her pension paid her care home fees. However, in October 2021 a payment was declined by the woman's bank and a statement was sent to the care home which staff looked over.

Ms Shan said: "Staff scrutinised the statement and noticed a large number of suspicious transactions - these included the payment of taxi fares despite [name of victim] only using transport provided by the care home. There were also orders from Amazon even though she did not have access to an electronic device."

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Ms Shan said Cleveland Police was contacted and an investigation launched. The court heard the defendant was identified as a suspect after officers found a booking receipt for an overnight stay at the the Hampton by Hilton hotel, in Stockton, on October 8, 2021 - the day before Wake's birthday.

"The receipt contained the defendant's name, home address, email and signature. The defendant says she took the bank card from the staff office", the prosecutor said.

"A spreadsheet detailing fraudulent transactions between June 10, 2019 and May 24, 2021 show numerous cash withdrawals from various ATM machines, payments for taxi fares, Now TV, as well as orders for Amazon, Asda and Uber Eats."

The court heard Wake originally denied stealing the money but later admitted the offences. The court heard when the money ran out, Wake - who now works in a butcher's shop - forged the changing of bank details of three of her colleagues, so their salaries would be paid to her. Ms Shan said Wake's employment was terminated when the offending came to light.

In mitigation, her barrister Andrew Turton said the defendant, who had no previous convictons, had suffered the tragic loss of her son, Jake Wake, who died when he was tragically 'hit by a train' after being reported missing by his family in January 2020. An inquest later ruled that the 16-year-old had taken his own life.

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He asked for credit for the defendant's pleas and said his client accepts some of the payments but does not recognise others. Sentencing, Judge Richard Clews said the offending was "affected by the tragedy" and decided to suspend the sentence.

Addressing the defendant, he said: "You were in a position of trust and responsibility and you gained access to her bank card. You began using that card and that went on for a considerable period of time. Overall you took £12,268.53 which appears to have been her savings, it's not unreasonable to describe them as her life savings."

The defendant, of Jubilee Way, was handed a 15-month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and 15 rehabilitation activity activity days.

Following sentencing, Detective Sergeant Claire McNeill, said: “This was a shocking and despicable crime involving a vulnerable victim who has now sadly passed away. Wake was in a position of trust and should have been doing everything possible to care for, protect and safeguard the vulnerable resident at the care home. Offences involving finances and fraud are always extremely complex however we were determined to use all the specialist resources at our disposal to bring Wake to justice. I’m glad she finally admitted to what she’d done and will reflect on her actions.

“I also hope the victim’s family gain some closure and I wish them well for the future.”

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DS McNeill added: “Protecting vulnerable elderly people is everyone’s responsibility and I’d remind anyone with concerns about an older person whether a relative, neighbour or friend they can contact Cleveland Police at any time, either online or via the 101 number."

A spokeswoman for Methodist Homes (MHA) which runs Reuben Manor said: "MHA can confirm that a former employee at Reuben Manor care home in Stockton-on-Tees has been sentenced for serious acts of misconduct, including fraud resulting in loss of money from a resident. We deeply regret the distress caused to the resident’s family because of the actions of one of our employees.

"The wellbeing, safety, and trust of our residents and their families are our highest priorities and Nicola Wake failed in our trust in her when committing these crimes. When we discovered what had been happening, we took immediate steps to investigate and reported the matter to the police. She was dismissed from our employment following our internal investigation."

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