Lewisham carer stole £18k from woman with dementia

A LEWISHAM carer who stole £18,500 from an elderly woman with dementia felt so guilty about her crimes she did not spend a penny of her ill-gotten gains, a court heard.

Fartun Ali, 38, of Mallory Close, Telegraph Hill, stole the cash bit by bit over several months last year, keeping it hidden in the boot of her car.

Her fraud was uncovered by the elderly woman’s original carer, who noticed the cash was missing after returning from sick leave.

Mother-of-three Ali cried in the dock as she was handed a 16-month suspended sentence for fraud at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday.

Recorder Simon Sterling said: “You were a care supervisor for a woman who was living in her own home and had dementia. She lacked the capacity to manage her finances.

Fartun Ali — **PICTURED: Ali has been told to complete 180 hours of unpaid work**

“On a near daily basis you removed relatively small sums of money. In the end there was some £18,500 taken.

“One of the exceptional aspects of this case is that the £18,500 was kept in the boot of your car. You didn’t spend it.

“Your sense of guilt at what you had done prevented you from spending it. The money has now been returned to her (the victim).”

The judge said he was sure Ali, who worked for Sublime Care UK, was remorseful and that she was clearly “not thinking straight” at the time.

He added: “You are 38 now and I can tell by looking at you in the dock that to find yourself in this position at that age has come as quite a blow to you.”

However he emphasised that members of the public must be able to trust carers to look after their loved ones.

“The harm to the victim may not have even been noticed by her (due to her condition) but it’s the wider impact your behaviour has on those of us who want to have confidence in carers,” he said.

Jerry Sodipe, defending, noted that Ali is a single mother and the sole carer for her 12-year-old son, who has autism.

She was jailed for 16 months, suspended for 18 months, and told to pay court costs and a victim surcharge.

Ali must also carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.

Lewisham carer stole £18k from woman with dementia

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