A carer in the UK has been given a suspended prison sentence after stealing money from her client’s wages in exchange for gambling. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Caught by anonymous message
A UK carer has avoided jail time after stealing from her client in order to gamble. Chloe Campion, 33, from Trafford in Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse, but fortunately the judge suspended her 12-month prison sentence for 18 months.
Campion’s client, Joan Anderson, suffers from Down syndrome and dementia and is clearly in need of compassionate care. However, Campion used Anderson’s bank card to steal £28,523 ($34,807) from December 2021 to May 2022; The money was mostly used to fund Campion’s gambling addiction.
He still made two transactions after speaking with police
Campion readily confessed to her crime after being questioned by police, although her transgressions were not discovered until the head of the charity she worked for received an anonymous letter about what was happening. Although she said she intended to pay everything off, she made two transactions after speaking with police. One big mistake she made was linking Anderson’s bank card to her PayPal account and not deleting the evidence.
The judge had pity on the accused
Campion’s defense barrister, Hannah Forsyth, said she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and a gambling addiction. She explained to the court that her client had been going through difficult times for years; Her PTSD set in after giving birth in 2016, her partner was diagnosed with cancer and is still undergoing treatment, her grandfather died, and a café she used to work at to help people with learning disabilities went out of business.
Forsyth confirmed to the court that Campion had been attending therapy meetings and Gamblers Anonymous meetings to try to cope with her struggles and was taking medication for anxiety.
Campion repaid £17,088 ($20,853) of what she stole
The judge offered leniency because Campion has repaid £17,088 ($20,853) of what she stole, has worked on her mental health and addiction, and has children at home.
Not the first time, won’t be the last
Unfortunately, this is just another example of someone abusing their position of trust to fuel gambling. Just last month, former Australian MP Russell North received a 21-month prison sentence for using more than A$170,000 (US$108,137) in Victorian Electoral Commission gambling through the Tabcorp and Ladbrokes apps. He falsified bank statements and receipts in an attempt to hide his embezzlement of funds.
In August, a British man was given a six-month suspended prison sentence for stealing his grandmother’s funeral savings in order to gamble.
Last year, another carer in England took advantage of the person in their care. Alana Squire stole more than £45,000 ($55,004) from a disabled veteran to gamble online, distressing the man so much that he attempted suicide.
In the United States, an Indiana school accountant embezzled nearly $1 million and used it to cover a range of personal expenses, including trips to casinos.
