A WOMAN branded a "predator" to the elderly has been jailed after clearing her neighbour's bank account of more than £6,500.
Judge Jeremy Richardson has jailed Gillian Carlton-King for a second offence of stealing cash from her vulnerable neighbours in Bridlington.
The 58-year-old was locked up in January for nine months after being caught on CCTV rifling through the belongings of 92-year-old neighbour Hazel Bywater and stealing £185.
She did so while on bail for stealing £6,610 from neighbour Silvia Dixon, 75, who had entrusted her with her bank card and suffered with memory lapses.
Sentencing Carlton-King to nine months in prison for this offence, Judge Richardson described it as a "gross breach of trust". He was unaware of the ongoing investigations into the bank card thefts, when he sentenced her for the burglary.
He said: "Your conduct can only be described as predatory and cruel. You behaved in a callous and appalling manner towards your victim, a 75-year-old woman with many disadvantages.
"You are a predator to the vulnerable and elderly people."
Carlton-King's crimes came to light when a carer told Gayle Cossins, a supervisor at Caremark, who looked after Mrs Dixon, there was no money in Mrs Dixon's bank account.
She called the bank and statements showed since 2010, £12,200 had been withdrawn from the pensioner's account, including large sums, ranging from £270 to £2,570, every month, between May and October 2012.
Mrs Dixon told Ms Cossins that Carlton-King, who lived a few doors down in the warden controlled housing block, had her bank card and used it to withdraw money for her.
Prosecuting, Christopher Dunn told Hull Crown Court when Carlton-King was found out, she tried to pin the blame on Mrs Dixon's carers.
Carlton-King, who has since moved to Havelock Crescent in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to stealing £6,600 between May and October 2012 and an investigation into who took the rest is ongoing.
When she was arrested, she denied everything, claiming a carer also had access to the card, prompting an investigation at Caremark.
She was bailed, but in December 2013, as investigations into the bank account thefts continued, she was caught on CCTV set up by Mrs Bywater's son, rifling through her belongings.
She had waited until Mrs Bywater, who suffered with confusion, left the flat before creeping into her home.
In mitigation, Stephen Robinson said Carlton-King was in "overwhelming" debt, caused by her alcoholic husband, who now needs her constant care.
He said: "She is extremely sorry and realises she deserves prison for it.
"She expresses extreme remorse for her actions, she appreciates she was putting her own, selfish needs and didn't think about what it meant for the victim."
Sentencing her, Judge Richardson said: "In January, I sentenced you to nine months' imprisonment arising from your guilty plea to burglary. In passing sentence upon you on that occasion, I said your crime was callous and deliberate.
"This case is a variation on a theme. You are a predator upon the elderly, in particular those who are vulnerable and elderly.
"I warn you, if it comes to light you are responsible for the other sums of money missing from the bank account, you will be prosecuted and, if that comes to pass, it is essential I pass sentence upon you."
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
• Crime news for Hull and East Yorkshire
