A Derby care home worker who stole £6,500 from a resident with dementia has been ordered to pay back just £1.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Derby Crown Court heard how Corina Turner has already given the victim £3,100 towards what she took.

But, as she has lost her job as a result of her conviction, she has no more money available.

So a judge has ordered she pay a nominal £1 of the remaining £3,300 she stole from the dementia-suffering 50-year old.

Judge John Burgess, sitting at Derby Crown Court, said: “It means you are not at risk of losing your liberty but, should you have luck on the lottery or should you find a job again, the complainant can be compensated.

'Luck on the lottery'

“Should you come into funds that £3,300 can be taken from you.”

The Proceeds of Crime Act allows the police to apply for cash to be seized from criminals who have made their money from ill-gotten gains.

Corina Turner arriving at Derby Crown Court
Corina Turner arriving at Derby Crown Court


The money that is seized is split 50-50 between the police and the Government and is often used to fund community projects.

The original offence

At her sentencing hearing in November, the court heard how the 23-year-old withdrew large amounts of cash from the victim’s account to spend on shopping.

On the day she was caught she withdrew £900 from a city centre branch of the NatWest then returned just over an hour later “with lots of shopping bags”.


When workers at the branch refused to authorise a second withdrawal of the same amount of money Turner, of Heatherton Village, said the victim was her mother.

They said her “mother” needed to be there in person so they could release the cash so Turner went back to Westwood Care Home, in Station Road, Mickleover, and returned to the bank with the victim.

When staff told the victim her “daughter” had taken money using her bank card she replied “she’s not my daughter” and the police were called.

'You took advantage'

Handing Turner, of Hebden Close, a 10-month jail term, suspended for 18 months in November, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: “In a very short space of time after starting work at a care home you took advantage of a lady there who could and should have expected better.

“She was in the care home because of her difficulties which included dementia.

Corina Turner arriving at Derby Crown Court
Corina Turner arriving at Derby Crown Court

“Fortunately that was not so bad that she was unable to tell the bank staff that you weren’t her daughter and I credit her for sticking up to you when you were trying to suggest that she was just that.

“But I give you credit because other people in your position might have said ‘it’s got nothing to do with me’ or ‘the old lady misremembered’ but you didn’t.

“You admitted straight away to the police you had done wrong.”

Sacked from two jobs

At the time the theft was discovered, Turner was immediately sacked by Westwood Care Home.

And Steve Cobley, mitigating, said as a result of her conviction and the story appearing in the local press, his client then lost the job she had in November.

He said: “She has been unable to obtain any other work and following the reporting of the case she received some unspeakable threats via social media that caused her to be admitted to hospital.”

The offence took place between April 1 and May 6 last year.

Turner pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position and as well as the suspended jail term, Judge Smith ordered her to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.