A care worker who took the credit cards of vulnerable patients at his place of work to extract sums of cash has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting the offences in court this week.
Thirty-three-year-old Jason Slater, of Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and one charge of attempted theft, when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that Mr. Slater worked at St Caradog’s ward of Bro Cerwen hospital in Haverfordwest when the offences occurred. He was charged with stealing £1,600 from one patient between August 4 and 11 of last year; and attempting to steal a further £1,800 from the same patient during that period.
Mr. Slater also admitted a charge of stealing £900 from another patient at the unit between September 2 and 4, 2018.
“These are very serious offences in the view of the prosecution, involving a massive breach of trust,” Mr. Pritchard-Jones told the court.
“The two victims were patients at the unit where Mr. Slater worked, and required help with day to day living, including banking and budgeting.
“The defendant managed to take possession of their credit cards and withdrew sums of money from cash machines. He attempted to obtain further amounts. He is of entirely clean character,” he added.
Defence solicitor Jonathan Webb told the court that Mr. Slater had never been in trouble before and admitted his guilt straight away in a police interview, as well as the second offence that police didn’t know about.
“I have spoken at great length with Mr. Slater about the offences which were a clear breach of trust.
“There are no issues with drugs or alcohol, and no financial issues either with his family.
“Frankly, the matter is one of mental health, and I’m no expert, but in my opinion Mr. Slater appears to have had some kind of breakdown or is in the middle of one.
“Something has triggered in his mind that has led to a ‘Pandora’s Box’ being opened, and it would seem that he appears to be suffering from PTSD after the loss of his sister.
“Some of the money he stole, he didn’t even take home and thew it away. Some of ot has already been recovered and paid back.
“He knew he would be caught or was trying to be caught, as there were cameras all around. He wasn’t trying to be sophisticated,” added Mr. Webb.
After hearing an ‘all options’ probation report, magistrates handed Mr. Slater an 18 week prison sentence suspended for 24 months.
The sentence included a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, along with 150 hours of unpaid work to be cariied out in the community.
The defendant was ordered to pay compensation of £1,600 to one of the victims and £485 to the other.