A FORMER carer who used key codes to gain entry into the homes of two vulnerable pensioners has been jailed for four months.

Kelly Wright admitted stealing £120 each from a man aged 91 and a partially-sighted woman aged 82 – after she entered their homes in Malvern.

The 26-year-old, of Moat Crescent, Malvern, knew the codes from when she had worked as a carer for Malvern-based Care 4 Me.

On Friday, February 4, Wright let herself into the home of a 91-year-old retired doctor and told him that there was a problem with his kettle.

When he went into the kitchen Wright took £120 cash from his wallet and left.

On Friday, January 14, Wright entered the home of an 82-year-old woman.

The partially-sighted woman was in bed at the time and Wright gave her a false name before stealing £120 from her handbag.

Wright was seen on CCTV after the second theft and arrested.

In a police interview she denied both burglaries but pleaded guilty when she appeared before magistrates earlier this month.

Amer Hussain, defending at Worcester Magistrates Court, said Wright had stolen the money after falling into debt.

He said: “The element of taking the cash was not part of funding a grander lifestyle, it was simply to pay off debts.”

Chairman of the bench Carys Clarke said: “These were two very vulnerable victims, one who was partially-sighted. You repeated the offence and they involved a very serious breach of trust.

"These victims are unlikely to be able to trust people again.

“We also found an element of planning and you deliberately targeted their homes in the evening. One was in bed at the time.”

Magistrates had considered a suspended sentence but said the aggravating features were too severe.

Wright was sentenced to four months for each offence to run concurrently.

No order for compensation was made.

Outside the court Brian Lee, director of Care 4 Me, said Wright had been subject to full criminal and professional checks before being employed.

He has written to all his clients with a key code urging them to regularly change that code.