Carer Abdul Jallow caught stealing money by his victim's sister

A SISTER turned detective to trap a carer who was stealing from her disabled relative.

Inspired by Miss Marple, Maureen Read installed a £60 hidden camera in her sibling Carol Smith’s room after she was convinced somebody had been taking money from her.

The camera, which was inside a digital clock radio, captured images of carer Abdul Jallow stealing £20 and £40 from Miss Smith’s room in Rosebrook Court, in Beech Avenue, Bitterne Park.

Jallow, who had been looking after Miss Smith for around three years, has now been convicted at Southampton Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of burglary.

Mrs Read, pictured inset, said the incident had left her “paranoid” and “spending sleepless nights wondering who had targeted my vulnerable sister”.

Miss Smith suffers with cerebral palsy and when she leaves her flat, which she has lived in for five years, she has to use a wheelchair.

Mrs Read added that when she saw a number of bank withdrawals at cash machines her sister “could never and would never” get to, she decided to “become Miss Marple” and work out what was going on.

She said: “I decided I had to install a camera to find out who was responsible.

“It meant I had to lie to my sister to get the hidden camera in, but I knew she would understand - and she has.”

The incidents took place in December 2016 and January 2017.

The court was told that Jallow, who no longer works at the residential unit, had been a “trusted man who would always be charming and pleasant” with the family.

Simon Jones, prosecuting, read a family impact statement which said: “We did not want to believe that someone who she trusted had exploited her... we considered him a good person.”

The statement added: “Now all we have is anger for what he has done.

“My sister trusted him and he broke that trust.”

Mitigating, Berenice Mulvanny told the court Jallow was under financial pressures after his hours were cut at Rosebrook Court.

She said: “He is a genuinely good family man. He has shown regret and genuine remorse for what he has done.

“During the interviews with probation he has been crying.”

The court heard that Jallow has now found new employment and was a man of previous good character.

In sentencing, Judge Christopher Parker QC said Jallow’s crime would hinder trust between carers and the public.

He said: “What you have done has a corrosive effect on other vulnerable people up and down the country who rely on carers.

“They do a thankless, underpaid and difficult job.

“It is made no easier by people like you who steal from the people you are there supporting.”

He added: “The amount stolen is low in value, but that is not what this is about.

“The harm caused is aggravated because of the grave breach of trust.”

Jallow, of Acacia Road, Southampton, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months.

He will carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £60 compensation.

Following the hearing, Mrs Read, 69, said the only good thing to come out of the proceedings was that Jallow “will never care for others again”.

She said: “I actually feel really bad that I did not get to the bottom of this problem sooner.

“I have experienced so many sleepless nights as a result of worrying about my sister - it’s been horrible.

“He targeted my sister and we trusted him. He would always ask me how I was and how my grandchildren were. He would share pictures of his children with me.

“I never believed he would target my sister. It made us so paranoid because we didn’t know who to trust.

“But as we reviewed the footage captured on the camera, we could see all of the fantastic work the carers at the accommodation carry out.

“They are wonderful and do not deserve to be tarnished by him.”

Rosebrook Court is run by Saxon Weald, which manages homes across Hampshire and Sussex.

It said Jallow was appointed to work at the property by Southampton City Council as part of its care team.

At the time of publication, the city council had not responded to the Daily Echo’s request for comment.

A previous version of this article contained a picture of the defendant and an unnamed woman. The woman had no connection to the court case whatsoever and the picture was removed.