A CARE worker has been cleared at Cardiff Crown Court of allegations that she stole more than £1,800 from an elderly resident.
After a trial which took two-and-a-half hours, the jury found 51-year-old Karen Morgan, a mother of three, of Roundhouse Close, Nantyglo, not guilty of stealing £1,820 belonging to 74-year-old Edith Jones - who was also known as Pat Jones.
Morgan had told the jury, "I didn't steal that money. I had no reason to steal it and it's not my nature to steal."
Prosecutor James Wilson claimed Morgan stole the money over a period of two years working at Crawshay House, Brynmawr, a care home for the elderly.
One of her responsibilities was drawing money from Mrs Jones' national savings account. There was a set system where by money was put in a cash tin, recorded and counter signed.
Mr Wilson claimed that there was an investigation last year and it was found that there had been 30 withdrawals from Mrs Jones' account totalling £2,790 of which only £970 was recorded.
When arrested in suspicion of theft Morgan accepted she had drawn the money but said she had passed it on to Mrs Jones' carer. "But the carer," said Mr Wilson, "said she never handled any cash in that way."
Morgan, the court heard, was suspended in May 2007. Morgan, a woman with no previous convictions told the jury she had no reason to steal any money, financially she and her family had no differences whatsoever.
She told the jury 90 percent of the time the money would be paid to Mrs Jones' carer.
"I personally kept none of the monies," she said. She said in her opinion all the cash concerned went to Mrs Jones.
She pointed out that because of the investigation she had lost a great deal of weight and had been taking anti depressants.