A carer in Swindon has been sentenced after stealing from one of the people who trusted him to look after them. 

When a resident being looked after by First City Nursing thought that her carer Grega Skapin was fetching her hearing aids, he was actually rifling through her purse to steal £20

The 36-year-old of Morrison Street, Rodbourne, was only discovered when the victim's family checked CCTV footage from a camera they had installed in her room. 

Skapin was subsequently fired from his job and arrested before appearing before Swindon Magistrates Court on July 31 where he pleaded guilty.

Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said; "The defendant was identified and made frank admissions - he was having a bad week, he was struggling with gambling, he owed HMRC money, he had tried to think of a way of getting money and so took money from the purse amounting to £20.

"He had gone into her room, looking for her hearing aid, taken the money, and then spent it on a meal deal and cigarettes from Tesco."

Defending Skapin, Gordon Hotson, referenced that his client had no previous convictions and had written a letter to the court detailing his remorse. 

He added: "My client threw away his career in care, because of his financial issues, caused by his gambling problems, but he has taken appropriate steps to deal with those problems

"He has barred himself from shops, banned himself from online gambling systems.

"He was previously of good character but has lost that character and will be unable to ever work in care again."

It was confirmed that compensation had been paid to the victim, with First City Nursing deducting an amount of £320 from Skapin's final pay after he was dismissed. 

When delivering their verdict, Magistrates said: "It leaves a bad taste in your mouth to think that somebody is going to trust you to look after them and then you take money from them.

"We have noted that you have tried to make steps to prevent that happening again and that will keep you on a straight and narrow path, lets hope that continues."

Skapin, who is now working as a van driver, was fined £833, ordered to pay a surcharge of £333 and costs of £85.