A nursing home manager who stole more than £9,000 from his vulnerable patients to feed his gambling addiction, was struck off on Thursday.

Michael Betteridge, 51, was trusted to look after the bank accounts of nine clients, who all had 'severe learning difficulties'.

But the Nursing Midwifery Council heard how the crook plundered the residents' life savings to pay back his debts.

Balvinder Banga, for the NMC, told how Betteridge became house manager of two residential homes in Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove, and The Dock, Catshill, which catered for nine clients in total.

"They all had severe learning difficulties and required around the clock care," said Mr Banga.

"All monies and benefits paid to the clients were deposited at the Halifax and Abbey National, in Bromsgrove, and Mr Betteridge had the duty of billing the accounts and had authority to withdraw money from the accounts.

"He was also responsible for the managing the petty cash allocated to the residents by their families. He was in a position of trust."

Mr Banga told how Betteridge began withdrawing money from some of his clients' bank accounts in January 1999, to fund a 'shortfall in his own accounts'.

"Then he began withdrawing money from other accounts to pay back what he had taken up until March 2001.

"He had withdrawn money from eight of the nine residents' accounts amounting to in excess of £9,000."

Betteridge's dishonesty only came to light following a joint inquiry by the NHS and anti-fraud officers, which found discrepancies with the accounts.

When questioned at Bromsgrove police station, Betteridge fully admitted the thefts from the clients and took full responsibility.

Mr Banga continued: "He stated he had become increasingly in debt and that some of the money was for his own use and some were used to pay back other clients who he had stolen from.

"In the end he became confused what monies he had stolen from where. He went on to say he had used the money and was now broke."

Kate Robinson, who was Betteridge's line manager for 11 years, told how he admitted to her that he had spent the cash on his gambling habit.

Chairman Heather Shaw said: "He breached the trust of a very vulnerable group of clients and their families as well as committing serious criminal offences.

"The committee has decided to remove his name from the register with immediate effect.

"We take this decision in the interests of his clients and the wider public interests.

"Registered practitioners must always act in a way that justifies the trust and confidence that the public has in them and upholds and enhances the good name and reputation of the profession."

Betteridge, from Longbridge, Birmingham, who was jailed for 12 months at Worcester Crown Court on June 11 last year, after admitting eight counts of theft, did not attend Thursday's hearing.