A FORMER care company manager who used signatures from elderly clients’ records to fleece them out of thousands of pounds has been jailed for two years.

Ryan Harvey, 25, defrauded and stole from four clients of Crescent Homecare for many months, lining his own pockets with over £6,700.

Durham Crown Court heard how was in a position of trust, but betrayed his employers and the people he was supposed to be looking after.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting at Durham Crown Court, said Harvey’s victims were elderly, vulnerable, weak and frail people.

It was his job to support them to able them to continue living in the community.

Mr Faulks said: “The victims were among the most vulnerable people in the community.

“Because the defendant had become a trainee assistant manager he had access to the company office as well as the residents’ homes.”

One of his victims was being supported because he had already been a victim of financial abuse.

Harvey made 55 withdrawals from the account over a period of a year until he had drained almost £3,000.

A 93-year-old man, who lived in a Consett care home, had two cheques to the value of £265 and £300 stolen from him.

Harvey filled them in, making them payable to himself after forging the signature from his care plan.

He did the same to another man with three cheques worth £300.

Harvey had worked for the company, which is based in his home village of Langley Park, near Durham, since 2013 and been made assistant trainee manager in 2015.

But throughout 2016 he was abusing that position of trust and, following his arrest, he told police he had access to 160 clients.

It came to light after the bank told another member of staff there was only £80 left in a client’s account when they tried to make a money transfer.

The family firm is run by sisters Geraldine Raggatt and Debra Robey, who both gave powerful victim impact statements at court on Friday.

Mrs Raggatt said: “Ryan is a con artist who has tricked and deceived everyone. I will never forget the trail of devastation he has left behind.”

Harvey, of Finings Avenue, Langley Park, has previously admitted nine counts of fraud and one count of theft.

Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said he was genuinely remorseful and had submitted a letter of apology to the court.

Judge Nicholas Lumley jailed him for two years, adding: “You have demonstrated staggering arrogance and breath-taking callousness.”