A thieving care worker has been jailed after being caught on a secret camera set up in a 93-year-old woman's home after money went missing from her purse.
Joanna Inch was captured on the hidden camera just moments after it was installed and turned on by victim Nancy Rolfe's son Alan at her home in North Devon.
She was seen dipping into Mrs Rolfe's handbag and filching two banknotes which police found hidden in her mobile phone cover when they stopped her outside the house.
Inch was jailed after a Judge praised widow Mrs Rolfe for giving evidence against her and declared that the elderly must be protected from carers who are tempted to steal.
Inch, aged 22, was employed by a care agency to visit Mrs Rolfe at her home in Abbotsham, near Bideford, and help her with basic daily tasks such as taking medication.
Mrs Rolfe's son set up his sting operation because she noticed cash was going missing. He marked the £10 and £5 notes which police recovered when they stopped Inch's car.
Inch, of Buckland Close, Bideford, denied theft but was found guilty by a jury at Exeter Crown Court and jailed for four months by Judge Phillip Wassall.
He told her:"The CCTV clearly showed you taking the purse out and helping yourself to two notes. Mrs Rolfe gave evidence in a very crisp way that she had not given you permission to take the money. It was completely evident she was telling the truth.
"You complained to the jury in a remarkable show of bravado that you were innocent and had lost your job and your car. The reality is that you lost them yourself because you stole this money.
"You have shown absolutely no remorse and maintained your denials. When you are a carer for someone in their own home the highest degree of trust is placed in you.
"Old people will tend to put a great deal of trust in people to come to look after them and will befriend them. The betrayal that lady and her son felt is evident. I can see why she was so upset.
"The fact is that £15 may be a small amount of money but the breach of trust is very high. What you did is completely beyond understanding, other than avarice. You wanted to take money because it was there.
"The message has to go out to those who care for the elderly, the sick, or who cannot look after themselves, that if they commit theft then they are going to receive a custodial sentence."
Mr Gareth Evans, prosecuting, said Mrs Rolfe and her son had made impact statements expressing their distress and sense of betrayal at Inch's theft.
Mr Nigel Wraith, defending, said Inch has already lost her career because of the case and is now unemployed and facing problems in finding work because of her conviction.
He said he appreciates the seriousness of the offence but continues to deny it.
