Watch: Carer caught on CCTV stealing money from war veteran in his own home

This is the moment a carer was caught on camera stealing money from a war veteran in his own home.

Susan Pell, 65, was supposed to be looking after 89-year-old Peter Carpenter at his home in Spalding, Lincolnshire, but CCTV footage showed her stealing from his wallet.

In the video, she is seen waiting for him to leave the room before raiding his wallet for cash.

After discovering what she had done, Mr Carpenter said he was “devastated” and that he found the CCTV images “sickening”.

He said he would have given Pell the money if she had just asked him for it.

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Pell, from Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty at Boston Magistrates’ Court to stealing a total of £50 from Mr Carpenter – taking £20 on one occasion and £30 on another at the beginning of November.

She was sentenced to a year-long community order and given 150 hours of unpaid community work.

She was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr Carpenter and a total of £170 in costs and charges.

In court, prosecutor Marie Stace described Mr Carpenter as a vulnerable person who had health problems.

She said Pell had been going into his home twice a week to help him with his personal hygiene.

But when he realised money was being stolen, he marked the notes in his wallet to check if any were missing after people visited him.

His family set up CCTV in his house and Pell was seen taking money on two occasions, the court heard.

In a personal statement to the court, Mr Carpenter said he had health issues with an aneurysm and arthritis and had paid for carers to come to him since June 2015.

“If she was short of money I would have given her £20,” he said.

Sonya Bhalla for the defence said Pell had no previous convictions and had never been inside a courtroom before.

She said Pell had found herself in debt but couldn’t offer a reason why she had stolen the money, as she had no cause to take it because she could have asked her husband for it.

Ms Bhalla said Pell was “extremely remorseful” and had written a letter of apology to Mr Carpenter and had stopped working as a carer.