A CARER who admitted stealing £2,100 from the bank account of an elderly nursing home woman he was looking after has avoided a prison sentence.

Stephen Wheelan, 49, of Roxburgh Place, Galashiels, “succumbed to temptation” and withdrew sums of £300 a time from the woman’s bank account.

It was only when the woman’s friend, who had power of attorney over her affairs, noted the unusual transactions in the bank account that the offence came to light.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told Selkirk Sheriff Court Wheelan looked after the woman at Galashiels Nursing Home and he used to withdraw money for her.

When she heard Wheelan was struggling financially she said for him to take out extra money to buy shoes for his children.

Ms Bradley added: “He appears to have abused that and taken far more than permitted.” Defence lawyer Iain Burke said: “He fully accepts he went over the score. As a result he has lost his job and very little prospect of being employed in that line of work again. It is a breach of trust but it was not pre-planned.” Sheriff Peter Paterson told Wheelan if he had stolen the card or got the PIN number by deceit then he would have been imposing a prison sentence. He said: “You have succumbed to temptation.” Wheelan was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work as part of a 12 month community pay back order.