Prison for care home manager who stole £55k from residents and spent it on a hot tub, car and caravan

AN AWARD-NOMINATED care home manager abused the trust of residents and staff to steal more than £55,000 to buy a hot tub, a car and caravan.

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

Nottingham Crown Court was told Keeley Coleman used bank cards belonging to two vulnerable residents and a “pooled” card for seven others which were all locked in a safe in an office.

The 48-year-old mother questioned the need for money requested from team leaders at the home to buy essential items, saying there was “not a budget” for such purchases which led to residents “relying on second hand donations”.

After being arrested she said she stole the cash as she was “in debt and struggling but never intended it to escalate in the way it did”.

Jailing her for two years and seven months, Judge Philip Head said: “You began working there in 2020 and starting almost immediately you took on the financial management of residents’ money.

“Over the next three years you stole £55,000 belonging to nine residents, £21,000 from one alone.

“You used two company bank cards and two resident banks cards to withdraw cash allegedly for residents but you underdrew and pocketed the rest.

“At times, when residents were in need, you would say they had insufficient funds in their accounts to meet their needs.

“On occasions that meant staff would bring in their own clothing for residents. You saw that and carried on anyway. You bought a new car for your daughter, a caravan and a hot tub for yourself.

“I have read the pre-sentence report and it strikes me that (you are) minimising your offending significantly. There is need not greed and greed not need and you were boasting to staff about significant expenditure.