A carer who spent three years on the run after stealing £18,000 from a trusting pensioner tried to pin the blame on a cleaner.

Vicky Wonfor stole £500 a day from 75-year-old Shirley Green, who lived at Chislet Court retirement flats in Pier Avenue, Herne Bay.

When the thefts were discovered, the former Canterbury College student claimed Ms Green had asked her to withdraw the cash to pay off debts – despite the elderly woman having savings of more than £100,000.

Wonfor, 35, then alleged the money had been left under Ms Green’s bed and accused the cleaner of stealing it.

But she came unstuck after bank records revealed cash had poured into her account, with police also discovering 30 pairs of expensive trainers during a raid on her home.

Wonfor was arrested in 2014 but skipped bail, fleeing to Dumfries in Scotland, where she stayed out of the hands of the law until February this year.

In the three years it took to bring her to justice, her victim died without ever being repaid.

Now Judge Heather Norton has jailed Wonfor for 18 months and added another two weeks for jumping bail.

She admitted both charges at Canterbury Crown Court.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald said Ms Green’s bank card was reported missing by the cleaner in May 2014.

“Ms Green said Wonfor had been allowed to use the card occasionally to withdraw money for her but had never given her permission to keep the card,” he said.

“It became obvious that large sums of cash were being withdrawn day after day, sometimes £500 a day. From March to May some £18,000 was withdrawn.”

When she was confronted, Wonfor concocted a story about Ms Green being in debt to people in London.

She claimed the money was left in a shoebox, which the cleaner would take to pay the people.

“In fact, inquiries began and Ms Green revealed she had more than £100,000 in life savings and no debts,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “But when Wonfor’s accounts were checked it showed she was in debt and a debt agency was involved in her financial affairs.”

Police then discovered almost £8,000 had been paid in the carer’s bank account.

Mr Fitzgerald said that before she died Ms Green gave a video interview to police in which she revealed she had given Wonfor £250 so she could travel to Scotland.

Phil Rowley, defending, said Wonfor had gone north of the border “and just buried her head in the sand”. She also claimed she had a stroke and was on a life-support machine but produced no medical records to support it, the court heard.

Psychiatrists who investigated her claims suggested she had been “malingering”, the court heard.

Judge Heather Norton told her: “This was a breach of trust of an elderly and vulnerable woman and when you were caught you tried to blame her and another employee.”

Chislet Court development manager Christine Smith said Ms Green died in December 2015.

“She was a sweet little lady, very pleasant,” she said.

“She kept herself to herself but was well-liked here.”