Care home manager jailed for defrauding vulnerable resident out of £39,000

The manager of a care home in Northampton has been jailed for two years after admitting to defrauding a vulnerable resident out of more than £39,000.

Flavia Skinner, aged 44, formerly of Sussex Road, Kettering, admitted to a string of fraud offences involving vulnerable residents at the Berrywood Lodge Care Home in Duston.

Northampton Crown Court heard that over a period of four years, more than £39,000, had been taken from the victim’s bank accounts after she had taken advantage of him by taking his bank cards and setting up online payments to herself.

The fraud came to light in 2019 after his sister reported her suspicions to Northampton Police after repeated and large amounts of cash were being withdrawn from her vulnerable brother’s account.

This prompted a lengthy and complex investigation by the Force’s Volume Fraud Crime Team which ultimately proved that Skinner had defrauded her victim out of thousands of pounds between 2013 and 2017.

He died in December 2022, a few months before the case went to court.

Sergeant Mike Rogers from the Force’s Volume Fraud team said: “This was a long and protracted investigation, but the perseverance and attention to detail of the investigating officer has ensured justice for his family.

“The defendant in this case abused her position of trust to take thousands of pounds from the bank accounts of a very vulnerable individual who she should have been caring for and looking after their best interest. Instead, she chose to exploit him for her own personal benefit, a deceit which has now led to her being jailed.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to bring such offenders to justice and anyone who believes that they have become a victim of fraud should contact Northamptonshire Police on 101.”