A CARER from Tavistock has admitted stealing around £1,200 from a man with Parkinson’s after being caught in the act on a hidden camera set by his family.

Donna Clayton, 51, was filmed taking cash from David Evans’ wallet in the living room of his Tavistock home while he was not in the room.

Wife Valerie Evans and their son had placed the camera on November 21 after Mr Evans noticed money going missing from his wallet over several months.

Clayton pleaded guilty to stealing an estimated £1,200 from David Evans between September 1 and November 21 last year.

Gareth Warden, prosecuting, told Plymouth Magistrates’ Court that Mr Evans required full-time care as he suffered from Parkinson’s and Crohn’s disease as well as other conditions.

Clayton had been employed to look after him two evenings a week to give his wife Valerie a break.

Mr Warden said: ’Mrs Evans had some concerns that over two or three months money had been disappearing from his wallet. They thought initially that he was getting muddled about the amount of money he had in his wallet. Mr Evans was sure the money had been going missing, though.’

As a result, on the evening of November 21, Mr Evans’ family decided to place a camera in their sitting room which was linked remotely to a mobile phone.

Valerie Evans and her son went out, but were in fact watching via Mrs Evans’ mobile phone away from the house.

‘The camera was placed right in front of Mr Evans’ chair in the living room. He wasn’t in the chair at the time. There was another carer in the house who was getting him ready for bed,’ said Mr Warden.

‘The camera showed the defendant pottering around giving the cat some treats and then going to Mr Evans’ wallet down the side of the armchair, taking out money and putting it into her own wallet and taking some coins.

‘Mrs Evans and her son were watching this on a live feed and mobile phone and went back in and addressed the issue with Miss Clayton.’

He said Clayton subsequently admitted to the police in interview that she could have stolen £1,200.

Mr Warden said the seriousness of the case warranted it being sent to crown court for sentencing.

‘Bearing in mind the extreme vulnerability and disability of Mr Evans we put this in a hate crime category,’ he said. ‘We are talking about high culpability. This is deliberately targeting a victim on the basis of their vulnerability. This is a breach of trust to a very high degree of trust and responsibility that Mrs Evans has given the defendant so she gets some respite herself.’

Chair of the bench Nadine Fletcher said: ‘We think this should be committed to crown court for sentence because of the serious nature of the offence.’

She granted Clayton unconditional bail to appear at Plymouth Crown Court on Thursday, February 27.