12 February 2013 Last updated at 13:45 ET

Manchester carer defrauded elderly neighbour out of £16,000

A woman has been jailed after admitting defrauding an elderly neighbour out of almost £16,000.

Jacqueline Dalgleish, 44, of Agnes Street, Levenshulme, Manchester, was jailed for a year at Manchester Crown Court.

After the 79-year-old neighbour she cared for went into a home several payments made in her name were found on his bank statements, police said.

She earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud and one theft.

Dalgleish cared for the man on an informal basis between 2008 and May 2011 and did not receive payment, officers said.

'Abused trust'

Greater Manchester Police said when his bank statements were checked, 34 payments made in her name were found to Asda home delivery totalling £3,840, as well as 20 payments to Virgin Media Services totalling £2,314 and 16 payments to Vodafone totalling £508.

After the victim was taken into care £8,408 was withdrawn from the account and there was evidence Dalgeish had used the account to pay for a council tax and TV licence fine, police added.

The payments were made between August 2010 and April 2012.

PC Andy Devonshire said: "Dalgleish abused a position of trust and targeted her victim due to his vulnerability.

"While this man's health deteriorated, she was happily spending his money on shopping deliveries and even fines for non-payment of her TV licence and council tax.

"The victim sadly died in June last year and was never aware that his seemingly trusted carer was withdrawing thousands of pounds from his account to fund her own lifestyle."