Carer who stole thousands from vulnerable elderly client dealt with at court.

A carer who stole nearly £12,000 in just six months from a vulnerable elderly client has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

For many years, Sara Petegou was the main carer for the victim who had no family.  Initially he lived in his own home, where she had sole access to his house keys, bank accounts and associated bank cards.

As the man’s health declined, he spent time in hospital and eventually moved into a Middlesbrough care home and when staff there asked Petegou to transfer money for toiletries and clothing no funds were sent over. 

And despite repeated requests from social service colleagues that she return the bank cards and house keys, she never did.

When social service workers were able to enter the victim’s home to change the locks, they discovered bank statements showing cash withdrawals from his accounts, however given his health issues it was clear he had been unable to do this himself. 

Worse, they soon discovered from his financial documents that nearly £12, 000 in cash had been withdrawn in the six months from January and June 2023, whilst he was a resident in the care home.

Adult social care staff immediately contacted Cleveland Police to report fraud against their service user and CAVA Detective Constable Victoria Brown began what were to become prolonged and extensive enquiries beginning with trawling records and CCTV from ATMs where cash withdrawals were believed to have been made.

It soon transpired that Petegou had visited various cash points mainly in Middlesbrough’s Hill Street Centre and Linthorpe Road  where, using different bank cards, she withdrew up to hundreds of pounds each time; these transactions corresponded to information on the bank statements which had been handed to police by social services staff.

On one particular day in April 2023 when Petegou agreed with care home staff that she would bring in or transfer funds for some desperately needed personal care items for the victim, she failed to do so instead using his cards six times that day, withdrawing more than £1000 across all the transactions.

Petegou was interviewed by CAVA officers in August 2023 and bailed to allow further enquiries to take place.  She was later charged with fraud by abuse of position and appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court in January this year.

Yesterday at Teesside Crown Court 43-year-old Petegou was sentenced to two years suspended for two years and she must take part in a number of rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Speaking after court, DC Brown said: “Petegou completely abused her position as carer for this extremely vulnerable elderly gentleman, actively using his bank account when he was not able to give consent and depriving him of funds which he desperately needed for everyday essential items like razors, toiletries and clothing while he spent time in hospital and the care home.

“I’d like to thank care home staff and our adult social care colleagues for their support during this lengthy and complex investigation, and I hope they are satisfied that a full investigation took place and that a court has now heard a full account of Petegou’s abhorrent behaviour.

“We will not tolerate the actions of those who believe they can prey on the vulnerable and benefit financially from them and I would urge anyone with concerns about abuse of any nature against an elderly or otherwise vulnerable relative or friend to contact Cleveland Police at any time. 

"We have specially trained officers who will investigate in a sensitive, through and professional manner and who can liaise with appropriate expert partner agencies to support victims while enquiries continue.”