Callous carer left vulnerable man freezing and hungry as she pocketed over £30,000 to fund her own lifestyle

A vulnerable man was left freezing and hungry by his callous Warrington-based carer who was secretly pocketing thousands of pounds of his money.

Rachel Dawes got away with more than £30,000 over three and a half years before she was suspended by her bosses over other concerns and a judge pointed out that otherwise her dishonesty would “in all likelihood” have continued.

The mum-of-two spent the cash on a new sofa, television and washing machine as well as dozens of payments to Amazon, Netflix, Paypal and Ebay and betting shops.
She even used it to regularly pay her energy bills – while her victim was left freezing cold, hungry and in the dark after his meters ran out of funds and she had his pre-payment cards.

Dawes, aged 43, who has a previous benefit fraud conviction, was lambasted by Judge Katherine Pierpoint and jailed for 32 months.
“You dipped into his account when and wherever you fancied,” she told her.
“In my judgement you deliberately targeted a vulnerable victim,” she added.

Ben Stanley, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Dawes, who is also known as Evans, worked for care firm, Sage Care Ltd and was the primary carer for the victim between 2017 and March 2021.
He is in his early 60s and has learning difficulties and needs help with his day to day living such as shopping, personal hygiene and meal preparation.
Dawes was suspended by company on March 26, 2021 for not completing care records and allowing clients to visit her at home. She had also previously been warned about charging the victim for petrol which was against their policy.

Another carer went to his home and found he had no food and only 38p left on the emergency amount on his electricity meter and he said Dawes had the card.
She took him food shopping but was shocked to discover there were insufficient funds in his bank account as he only had £65 left. Back at his Warrington home she found unopened bank statements hidden under a carpet in a cupboard and he said she shouted at him if he opened his statements.
When the bank statements were examined by a manager from the care firm it showed numerous payments which raised “red flags” including for internet use as he did not have the internet.
Mr Stanley said that it was found that a total of at least £30,765 had been taken from the victim’s account and as well as cash withdrawals there had been 53 payments to her Amazon account and Bright House purchases of a sofa, TV and washing machine.
There were also 48 regular payments to her energy suppliers, six to Paypal and Ebay, four to Argos, 16 to Ladbrokes, 19 to pharmacies, two to a vets and two to the jewellers, Pandora, as well as takeaway meals.
Police inquiries revealed that in October 2020 during the pandemic the man had called at a neighbours saying he had no electricity and was freezing. The neighbour called Dawes who had the card and she topped it up.
A week later he again called round saying he was hungry and freezing and social services were alerted. His family, who live in Scotland and Dubai were concerned as his phone had been cut off for lack of funds and he had to ask neighbours for help.
The victim went to Dawes’ home for Christmas dinner in 2019 and the following year and both times the family gave her £50 towards the cost.
When quizzed the defendant said her mum died in 2017 and left her with a £21,000 debt and she admitted using the man’s funds “out of desperation. She admitted setting up online banking with his card.”

In an impact statement the victim’s brother said that he had been left living “in an inhabitable house. He was an angry, confused and frustrated man.’’
He said his brother had liked Dawes but she should not have been allowed to have so much control over his care.
His life is now much better with his carers taking him on days out and trips to his local to play pool and he says, ‘He is well rid of her” adding that he hoped she feels remorse.

Carmel Wilde, defending, said that Dawes is remorseful. “This is a shocking and despicable offence and she acknowledged that with her early guilty plea. She is described as being disgusted with herself in her pre-sentence report.”
She said that the defendant, who has worked as a carer since she was 21, has mental and physical problems but “does not seek to minimise or condone her behaviour.”
She has been suffering anxiety and depression since the death of her mum in 2017 who left her with £21,000 debts in credit cards, loans and catalogue taken out in her name.
“She was struggling to cope with working on minimum wages.”
Her daughter has health issues, her husband is awaiting spinal surgery
and she herself walks with crutches after slipping on black ice in 2022 and fracturing her spine, said Miss Wilde.
“She felt overwhelmed by pressure. It does not excuse taking the money to spend on day to day living but also luxuries, which were not out of desperation but just spiralled out of control.”
The defendant, of Kingsway South, Latchford, Warrington, who walks with crutches, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position.

Judge Pierpoint said, “Between September 2017 and March 2021 when you were purporting to be caring for this vulnerable man you had taken from him over £30,765.”
She said that she had “tricked” his family into believing she was caring for him. On the face of it appeared so, taking him for days out but what was happening behind the scenes no-one knew. “Dipping into his account, which paints a very different picture.”
The judge added, “Someone he liked and trusted has taken advantage of him in perhaps the worst possible way.”
She added that luckily now, with the support of others, he has been able to rebuild his life.

Judge Pierpoint said that in her pre-sentence report Dawes said that at the time “your head wasn’t with it and you were not thinking straight.”
She said she accepted she had had difficulties but this was not dipping into his account on one or two days, it was “regular and systematic over three and a half years.
“I find it hard to accept your head wasn’t with it for that whole period of time……..You abused the trust placed in you the most serious way. You used his money whenever you fancied it.”
Dawes wept as she was led to the cells watched by her husband in the public gallery.