A carer left a trail of heartbreak after stealing thousands of pounds worth of sentimental property from elderly people to feed her cocaine addiction, a court heard.

Nicola Smyth plundered irreplaceable jewellery totalling almost £23,000 from victims and sold it to pay for her £50-a-day habit.

Some of those targeted were suffering from dementia and have not been made aware of their loss to avoid distressing them.

Smyth, of Old Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, was jailed for 28 months as a judge said: “None of the jewellery was recovered. You sold the lot.”

The 46-year-old mother-of-three had been a carer since 1993 and was working for Bluebird Care Agency in Maidstone when she started stealing from 11 vulnerable clients.

Prosecutor Alexia Zimbler said Smyth stole £130 from the purse of one elderly woman behind her back.

It was reported to the agency and Smyth was immediately suspended.

An investigation revealed other property and money had gone missing when she was on duty.

She had sold various items and received just under £3,500 from pawnbrokers.

A woman in her 80s lost her engagement and eternity rings. The theft was discovered when she planned to wear them for her 60th wedding anniversary.

“Because of her dementia, she is still not aware they have been stolen,” Miss Zimbler told Maidstone Crown Court.

“The value is £8,258. They have never been recovered.”

Another woman, aged 80, lost £1,650 worth of jewellery, including some given to her by grandparents when she was 15.

As a result, she became seriously depressed and had to go to hospital.

One disabled victim, aged 82, lost £11,000 worth of jewellery. Some was found to be missing on the morning of her granddaughter’s wedding.

“The sentimental value is something that cannot be underestimated... you have eroded their trust in the carers who must take your place” - Recorder Mark Van Der Zwart

Smyth admitted 11 offences of theft and possessing a small amount of cocaine, she asked for a further charge of stealing £95 to be considered.

Miss Zimbler said when the carer was interviewed last July she denied all the allegations and claimed she was being “one hundred per cent honest”.

She later came clean and confessed all the property had been sold and she had spent the money.

“She accepted she took the money from vulnerable people,” said Miss Zimbler.

“She said she felt ashamed and totally humiliated for behaving in the way she did.”

Smyth wept as Recorder Mark Van Der Zwart told her: "There were engagement rings of incalculable value stolen.

"You stole them and sold them in order to feed your cocaine addiction.

“The sentimental value is something that cannot be underestimated and was far greater than any monetary value.

“You have eroded their trust in the carers who must take your place.”

A previous version of this article inaccurately stated Nicola Smyth worked for Bluebird Care Agency in Medway. We are happy to clarify she actually worked for Bluebird Care Agency in Maidstone and apologise for the error.