Julie O'Brian cashed £8,200 worth of cheques belonging to Joan Carr and
kept the money for herself.

The 26-year-old tried to steal a further £7,800, but those cheques were not honoured by the banks.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how O'Brian, who is now eight months pregnant, was employed by Careline Homecare Ltd to help Mrs Carr with shopping and household chores.

Her contract with the company banned her from becoming involved in her
clients' finances.

But the court heard how she used her position to plunder Mrs Carr's
accounts, and used the cash to pay her own bills.

O'Brian, aka Mackerill, of Hazlitt Avenue, Biddick Hall, South Shields, admitted theft and attempted theft between February and September 2007.

Mr Recorder Jeremy Freedman sentenced her to nine months behind bars.

The judge told her: "These offences were callous and heartless, you preyed on a vulenerable elderly person.

"You were in a position where you were supposed to be her friend and carer, but you did precisely the opposite.

"It is difficult to imagine a greater breach of trust than that which you committed.

"It would have caused a lot of pain to that lady - a lady who placed her
trust in you, only to discover you had exploited your position of having access to her cheques."

Defence barrister Jane Foley said O'Brian had been depressed after
suffering a miscarriage, and had been struggling to keep up her mortgage payments.

Miss Foley said; "The experience of giving birth to her first child in
custody will not be a pleasant one."

The court heard O'Brian's husband and family are trying to raise the funds to pay back the money taken from Mrs Carr.

After the case, Neil Winch, managing director of O'Brian's employer, Careline Homecare Ltd, made a statement.

It said: "We are a very good agency, and we have done everything in terms of her employment by carrying out the different checks which are available, including CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) checks.

"We are very upset for the family and the lady in question. It is such a shame the reputation of the company has been tarnished by one person's actions.

"It is a horrendous thing to happen to the family."