A MAN paralysed from the neck down says his "trust has gone" after his carer - who he counted as a friend - was jailed for plundering his bank account.

Paul Coates, who has Multiple Sclerosis, was forced to give evidence against William McCarroll who had denied using his cash card to take £1,600.

But McCarroll was convicted of four counts of fraudulently using the card and was jailed for 15 months by Judge Tony Briggs.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Coates, of Quarrington Hill, County Durham, said: “My trust has gone.”

The 52-year-old - who relies on full-time help from carers for the most basic of tasks - added: “I thought it [the jail sentence] should have been longer. He should have been told to pay the money back.”

Prosecutor Ian West told Teesside Crown Court: “The defendant was a paid-for carer for Mr Coates who is severely physically disabled.

“The defendant was trusted by Mr Coates to deal with his financial affairs, he knew where he kept his bank card and he knew his pin because they would go out shopping for food.”

He said that between March and May 2015, McCarroll took Mr Coates' card when he was not with him and used it to make four withdrawals, two of £500 and two of £300.

Mr West said it was an abuse of trust and there was a degree of targeting, due to Coates' vulnerability.

The trial heard McCarroll had been in the area of the cash machines when the relevant withdrawals were made.

In a victim impact statement Mr Coates said: “Due to Bill’s behaviour I have lost trust in the carers who attend my home.

“I want to know why Bill stole my money. He has never answered that question. He was a friend and I should have been able to rely on him.”

His stepdaughter Kirsty Coates, of nearby Fishburn, said the family felt let down by McCarroll, who had been her father’s carer for two years, and his actions had caused stress and heartache.

The 31-year-old told The Northern Echo she alerted police after noticing large amounts disappearing from her dad’s bank account.

“I thought it was unusual as he is really careful with his money and barely has £20 in his wallet most times," she added.

“There was only me and Bill who knew the pin number to dad’s card and it wasn’t me, so I got the police involved.

“My dad is gutted, he saw Bill as a friend, not a carer, and he has lost trust in everybody now."

Miss Coates said the family believed McCarroll a “canny fella” who would watch football with them at her home.

“We had a brilliant relationship with him because we appreciated everything he did for my dad, he would take him shopping, to the day centre, picking him and dropping him off and giving him social time.

“He took total advantage of my dad who trusted him. My dad looked so vulnerable in court and it was a horrible experience for him to give evidence in the trial.”

The court heard how Mr Coates was keen to undergo so-called ‘restorative justice’ with the defendant, but that opportunity was unavailable, said Mr West, because of the lack of a guilty plea and any admissions.

The prosecutor suggested McCarroll could pay the £3,940 costs of the case, although Judge Tony Briggs made no order for costs or compensation.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said 62-year-old McCarroll, a married man, of Milton Street, Shotton Colliery, County Durham “maintained his position”.

The barrister handed a reference into the court on behalf of his client and referred to a 1979 conviction for which he received a suspended jail sentence.

Mr Constantine said: “Since then he has led a law abiding life and done good work for the community.

“Perhaps his behaviour was found by the jury is an aberration.”

Judge Briggs described Mr Coates, who has two other children, Gareth, 26, and Sarah 24, as quadriplegic.

He said it was difficult to envisage someone more dependent on others than him still living in their own home.

The judge said he bore in mind McCarroll’s age and lack of previous matters, but custody was inevitable.

He said: “This was a very serious breach of trust resulting in devastating consequences for Mr Coates and his family.”

WILLIAM McCarroll was employed by Supportive, a Ferryhill-based charity and not-for-profit organisation, formerly known as the Social Resource Centre.

It provides volunteer transport, domiciliary home care and support to people of all ages in County Durham.

Chief executive John Davison said McCarroll was dismissed last year after the matters came to light, but the organisation continued to provide care to Mr Coates as it had done for the past five years.

He said: “Obviously we are very disappointed that a member of our team has broken all of our codes and stooped so low.

“We have been working closely with the police in relation to this matter and are delighted to have been able to help police officers and the family secure a successful prosecution.

“We are very pleased to still be providing care for our service user and will continue to support him and his family.”