A heartless carer who pilfered £27,000 from a dependent woman was sentenced to over two years in prison.

Paige Kemp, a 31 year old Sheffield resident, systematically siphoned the cash in "dribs and drabs" by deceptively using her victim’s bank details and cards across a span of two months during 2022.

The conniving Kemp withdrew a whopping £27,559 from her ward's account for splurges and betting antics. During the sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on April 2, Judge David Dixon lambasted, "You took advantage of someone - and not in any small way."

Pointedly addressing Kemp's betrayal, he said, "You were in a caring responsibility for this family and this vulnerable lady."

Highlighting the severe repercussions of the theft, he remarked, "Unless, suddenly, some money can be found from somewhere, it's going to have a profound impact on her.

"You took the money in dribs and drabs, while you were in a position of responsibility."

Dixon sharply observed that Kemp abused her duty for financial gain: "You were charged with a duty, which you used to get close as an opportunity to gain money." Venting his ire, the judge criticized the gambling as wasteful, ensuring that the stolen funds went to "nothing useful."

The court learnt of Kemp’s professed "genuine remorse", and she admitted her guilt at the earliest chance given. Nonetheless, sealing Kemp's fate, Dixon declared imprisonment "inevitable" and imposed a 28-month jail term.