Bourne carer wept in court after stealing cash from man with Down’s Syndrome and his blind 86-year-old mother at their Deepings home

A carer who stole cash from a man with Down’s Syndrome and his vulnerable mother has been ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Bourne resident Lawrence Chifamba wept in Boston Magistrates’ Court as the details of his thefts were made public.

The bench was told that Chifamba was caught out inadvertently after a motion-activated camera was placed in the mother and son’s home in the Deepings to monitor falls she had been having.

The footage showed Chifamba taking cash from the 86-year-old woman’s purse and putting it in his pocket on the first occasion and going through the son’s drawer and wallet on the second.

It was not known how much money was taken on each occasion during March this year but the CPS accepted the defendant’s claim that it was a total of £50 and it was just those two offences.

Chifamba, 28, of Kesteven Way, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.

The court was told that he was employed solely as a carer for the man, whose mother was registered blind and had declining mental health.

Chifamba would visit five times a week but his remit was only to take the man out and did not extend to helping with his finances.

Prosecutor Jade Salter said: “They got on well with him. He was loved by them and they thought he was a nice guy.”

The court heard that Chifamba treated the man like a brother.

The woman’s daughter said: “As a family, we are totally devastated by what he has done.”

In mitigation, solicitor Beris Brickles said his client had been driven to the thefts by rising costs and problems with his car.

The defendant had also had his bank account hacked and salary taken, Mr Brickles added.

“He’s very apologetic for what happened and is very remorseful.

“Of course, he’s lost his job.”

Chairman of the bench Gavin Cooper told a tearful Chifamba: “It’s a particularly cruel crime that you have committed against vulnerable adults.

“You knew what it felt like to have money taken from you.”

As well as the unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order, the defendant was told to pay £50 compensation.