A CARER has been allowed to walk free from court with a suspended sentence, despite stealing from a vulnerable victim.

Warrington Magistrates’ Court heard how Lee Sheehan breached the trust of the adult victim he was caring for.

The 43-year-old helped himself to close to £400, before being caught and charged with theft from a person.

He admitted the offence, with Gayle McCoubrey, prosecuting, stating during his sentencing hearing that the theft occurred between December 4 last year and February 2 this year.

Sheehan was in a caring capacity in Warrington when he stole money to the value of £391.99.

Magistrates highlighted how the custody threshold had been crossed, given the severity of the circumstances of the offending.

It was remarked that the defendant’s actions amounted to a breach of trust in his care for a vulnerable person.

They also considered the number of transactions involved in the theft, as well as the fact that he originally denied offence, therefore placing blame on his colleagues.

However, he later pleaded guilty before the courts, and with this taken into account, paired with a determination by the Probation Service that ‘there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation’ in his case, the jail term was not imposed immediately.

Sheehan, of Cumberland Road in Partington, was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, but suspended for two years.

He must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and undertake 150 hours of unpaid community work.

No orders for court costs or a surcharge were made, with priority given to the defendant paying the £391.99 in compensation instead.

Moreover, because he was said to be of ‘limited means’, the court approved an application for the compensation to be deducted from his benefits.