A 'cowardly' carer who stole money from vulnerable care home residents in Essex has been locked-up.

Katie Howard was chastised by Recorder Nicholas Bacon KC for showing no remorse to her victims who said they had enjoyed her company.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Howard, 52, was trusted with a 90-year-old resident’s bank card so she could make withdrawals on his behalf during their shopping trips in the county.

But the mother-of-two “shattered his trust” when she withdrew money for herself, even, on one occasion, buying tobacco, wine, flowers and a lottery card as a personal treat.

She also snatched almost £2,000 from another care home resident who had dementia and even had the audacity to call her family to ask why her card had been frozen when they realised what was happening.

Her spree of sickening fraudulent transactions, which took place between November 2018 and April 2019, came to an end when another nurse spotted her attempting to take money during a chance encounter.

READ MORE >> Judge asks 'is there anything going on in your head?' after painter smashes door

Inquiries were then made and the family of the second victim also noticed £1,856 was missing from their beloved relative’s bank account.

Prosecutor Nicola May said these had been justified through lies such as the victim had “wanted to buy clothing and presents for her granddaughter”.

She added the first victim was “profoundly deaf” and had been left feeling suicidal after finding out what had happened.

Howard, of Gabriel Street, Saffron Walden, denied a series of offences but was convicted by a jury of four counts of fraud and a sole count of theft.

Eleanor Fraser, mitigating, told the court Howard has suffered four small strokes since her crimes and was previously a “very valuable and hardworking member of the team”.

She stated the community has turned against her since people have found out what she has done, and she has struggled to find employment.

But an unsympathetic Mr Bacon said Howard had looked to “deflect blame” and he was appalled by the total absence of remorse.

Jailing her for ten months, he added: “It is and was a mean and cowardly offence of dishonest against victims who were clearly vulnerable”.