A carer stole at least £600 from her elderly client's wallet as he dozed in his armchair.
Kelly Harris, 39, of Buxton Road, Diss admitted four counts of theft when she recently appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court.
The court heard that Harris was caring for 94 year-old Raymond Barker when £200 disappeared from his wallet last October. Further money was taken from Mr Barker's wallet in December and his son Martin, who had given him the money, reported the matter to the police.
The police installed a covert camera in Mr Barker's assisted living flat and recorded the serial numbers of banknotes in his wallet.
Prosecutor Victoria Bastock told the court: "The camera footage was reviewed and Harris was identified as having taken money out of the wallet on several occasions in January."
Harris told police she was "quite stretched leading up to the Christmas period" and she had used the money to shop in Morrison's.
In a victim impact statement, Martin Harris explained that his father had only recently moved into Weavers Court after fracturing his hip.
"He settled well but this all changed when Kelly Harris stole from him while he slept in his chair - not just once, but several times," Mr Harris said.
"This happened in his home, his sanctuary, his safe place, by someone who should have been caring for him."
Ralph Gillam, for Harris, said she cared for her mother, who has bi-polar, and home-schools her 10 year-old son, who has Asperger's Syndrome.
He said she believed financial pressures and a "traumatic" house move "may well have impaired her judgement".
Magistrates ordered an all options report, prior to Harris' sentencing on 9th April 2019.
She should be under no illusion that this is a very serious and repeated breach of trust, which may well result in a custodial sentence.
Update (9/4/2019): Harris has been sentenced.
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