A woman is in prison today for heartlessly ripping off a Ramsgate MS victim.

Crooked carer Sukhmeet Kaur was found guilty of stealing £67,000.

Now the 34 year old woman has been jailed for nine months at Canterbury Crown Court.

Her sister, Harmeet - who was acquitted of theft charges on the judge’s direction - wept as Kaur was told she wasn’t heading home, but to a cell.

She said later: “Her husband doesn’t know. I will have to tell him somehow!”

Kaur, of Harbour Street, Ramsgate has since moved to Surrey but hadn’t revealed that a jury found her guilty of the mean theft two months ago.

The jury heard how she had been employed by victim Malcolm Ware-Lane, who needed 24 hour care because he suffers from multiple sclerosis.

The court was told how, during a seven month period, money was systematically withdrawn from his bank account – sometimes when he was in hospital.

Prosecutor Trina Little said that Kaur had submitted fake invoices to try to disguise the “sophisticated” thefts.

Kaur claimed she had taken money out of his bank account to provide things for Mr Ware-Lane, who is in his 60s, when he had been admitted to hospital.

But after a jury rejected her claim, she offered to repay the money - although none has so far been paid.

“Her marriage is likely to be devastated because her husband, who is away quite a lot, has not been troubled with the details of this particular matter..." - Charles John-Jules, defending

During the trial Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl ruled that Harmeet Kaur – who had also cared for Mr Ware-Lane – had no case to answer and she was formerly found not guilty of theft on his direction.

Ms Little said that the victim had hoped to attend the sentencing hearing but had been unable because of a bereavement in his family.

“But it is clear from his victim impact statement the thefts have caused him a great deal of anxiety, " she said.

Charles John-Jules, defending, said Sukhmeet had come to the UK in 2004 to study and was later awarded a BA (Hon) degree in English.

She became a carer and in 2009 was granted British nationality and even after her conviction, carried on caring part-time for another vulnerable stroke victim, who is blind.

And recently she was looking after a woman with autism “two to three hours a week”, he said.

“Her marriage is likely to be devastated because her husband, who is away quite a lot, has not been troubled with the details of this particular matter and the defendant does fear for her marriage.

“That is because not only the effect of the conviction will have on him but also the extended family due to the shame,” he added.

Mr John-Jules asked the judge not to jail her immediately or to pass a jail term “which in reality would crush her”.

But the judge told Kaur it was too serious because it was a “substantial” breach of trust on a vulnerable victim.

She looked stunned before bursting in tears as he told her: “The loss in this case is probably irrecoverable and the theft involved a large amount of money over a period of time.

“The purpose of my sentence is not only to punish you but should serve as a warning to others.”

He also ordered a financial investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act to see if money can be recovered from her assets.

---

Stories you might have missed

Probe into 'forced drugging' at children's home

Teenager 'swept out to sea' on trip of a lifetime

Naked pervert's 'bizarre' actions in children's play area

Lorry driver jailed for cocaine smuggling

---