Former Northampton care home manager jailed after stealing over £39,000 from resident she ‘cared deeply’ about

A 44-year-old former Northampton care home manager has been sent to prison for two years after defrauding one of her mentally disabled residents of more than £39,000.

Flavia Skinner, of Sussex Road in Kettering, was the manager of Berrywood Lodge in Duston when she committed the offences between 2013 and 2017 before she left her employment in 2019.

The victim was a 53-year-old man with severe mental health difficulties. He was visited regularly by family members, who gave him “pocket money” and he was allowed to go out and withdraw money from an ATM under supervision so that he could buy himself things like sweets.

His bank cards were kept in a safe in an office at Berrywood Lodge, which Skinner had access to, Northampton Crown Court heard on Thursday, June 29.

Skinner’s fraudulent activity, however, did not come to light until after she left Berrywood Lodge. Her replacement manager contacted the victim’s sister to raise concerns after she noticed money going missing from the 53-year-old’s bank account.

The victim’s sister then investigated matters herself and reported to the police that thousands of pounds had been withdrawn from her brother’s bank account over the course of four years.

Skinner was arrested after her payee details were linked to the offences and she gave a no comment interview.

The 44-year-old, who was of previous good character, then pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud on April 26 this year.

The court heard that the victim passed away on New Year’s Eve in 2022.

The victim’s sister said the family was “sad, shocked and disappointed” to learn that the care manager they knew and trusted took advantage of their loved one.

She said her elderly mother would thank care staff and give them presents until her death in 2022 and she would have been “devastated” to learn what had been happening to her son.

The sister said: “The sad outcome is now we question our faith in the social care system who we placed our trust in to protect and look after [the victim].”

Emma Rance, in mitigation, said: “The defendant maintains that she did not set out to defraud the victim. He was one of the residents she cared deeply about.”

Skinner asserted that Berrywood Lodge was “badly run” and she was given two cheques each month so that she would then have to pay for residents’ groceries and other necessities on her own card.

She claimed that the victim had damaged his room during an “outburst” and a conversation took place with his sister about taking payment from the victim’s bank account, which was when the offending started. The sister claims no such conversation took place.

The defence barrister argued there was not a high impact of harm on the victim as his position in the care home was paid for by the local authority.

Ms Rance claimed that, despite the fact Skinner tried to minimise her offending and - at times - even deny committing the fraud, she has demonstrated “real and genuine remorse.”

“She’s deeply ashamed,” Ms Rance told the court, “She had found it extremely difficult to look herself in the mirror. She feels so much shame surrounding what she did that she goes to sleep at night hoping she does not wake up.”

The court heard that Skinner has applied for a £40,000 loan and “intends to pay every single penny back” to the victim’s family.

References described Skinner as a “kind, caring, hard working manager.”

Recorder Mark Worsley said: “All that suggests that what you did was out of character in that it was a surprise to those who knew you under the circumstances.

“If it happened once, you could say it was out of character. Over six years, it looks as if it was part of your character, I am afraid.”

Mr Worsley continued: “It seems that you spent more money than you earned and, in order to fund that, you targeted someone vulnerable.”

Skinner was sentenced to two years in prison. Northamptonshire Police told this newspaper that, as the defendant received a postal requisition, there is no custody picture available.