A WOMAN said she stole money from a Droitwich stroke victim she looked after because she was trying to expose the "bad attitude" of two fellow carers.

Caroline Godfrey was one of five carers employed to look after Dorothy Seymour at her Droitwich home.

She took the drastic action because she was concerned about the attitude of two of the others, Droitwich magistrates were told.

Mrs Seymour's husband noticed money he had left in his wife's purse began to go missing. In April, he set a trap to catch the thief.

He wrote down the serial numbers on the bank notes and gave them to the police.

The court heard last Thursday that Mrs Seymour was incapable of independent movement and her husband paid all the bills and provided money for shopping.

Prosecuting lawyer Liz Tweed said: "Mr Seymour gave his wife £25 per week for all the carers to buy incidentals for her and they all knew receipts were required.

"He started to notice the amount was disappearing without being accounted for and he suspected the defendant.

"On April 17 he put £25 in the purse and noted down the serial numbers.

"One £10 note was spent and a receipt produced. Three £5 notes were left and were still there on April 20 when the defendant began her shift at 10pm."

She added that when 28-year-old Godfrey left the following morning, Mr Seymour checked his wife's purse and the money was missing.

Godfrey, of The Grove, Stourport-on-Severn, admitted theft. Representing herself, she told the court two of Mrs Seymour's carers had such a bad attitude it was having a negative effect on the woman.

"I've worked for Mrs Seymour for two-and-a-half years and she enjoyed her life and wanted to live," she added.

"Now all she wants to do is die and is very badly depressed.

"She wants to get rid of these two carers."

Godfrey's case was adjourned until Friday May 18 for a pre-sentence report.