A CARE home manager used vulnerable adults’ money to fund his gambling habit.

Darren French, 42, who stole £9,000 from two residents at Rose Beck Cottage, in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was yesterday jailed for 15 months.

French, of Ninth Street, Horden, admitted two counts of theft, on the basis he took £3,000 from one resident and £6,000 from another.

The court heard that, as manager of the home, one of ten run by Community Integrated Care in the North-East, he had access to the bank accounts of residents who were unable to look after their affairs.

He withdrew money to pay bills and other expenditure on their behalf.

Paul Currer, prosecuting, said an audit was made in early February last year after concern arose over money going missing.

French went off sick at the time, but was seen at the home with a number of money sheets on the desk and it was later discovered some were missing.

Mr Currer said it emerged French withdrew £900 on one occasion when only £100 was recorded as paying for proper expenses.

“It’s the Crown’s case that the money was spent on his gambling habit.”

Mr Currer said between September 2010 and early the following year, French was found to have made card transactions totalling £5,500 through two bookmakers.

“This was at a time when he was bankrupt and on the sick,” said Mr Currer.

He was arrested in mid-February and, when later interviewed, he claimed he was being made a scapegoat for lax procedures at the home.

French also tried to blame coworkers.

The court heard he has one previous conviction for theft, as a shop employee, in 1996.

Jane Waugh, mitigating, said there appeared to have been some inadequacy with accounting procedures at the home.

She said French intially “borrowed”

money intending to pay it back.

“But it snowballed and he ended up robbing Peter to pay Paul.

“He’s been a carer for 15 years and good one at that, but he’ll never get a job in care again.”

Miss Waugh added that French fears he will now also lose his home.

Jailing him, Recorder Paul Watson told French: “You grossly betrayed the high level of trust bestowed upon you.”