A GREEDY carer betrayed trust by stealing from vulnerable pensioners and adults with learning disabilities.

Kelly Constable took priceless jewellery belonging to the late Elaine Mitchell who was on her deathbed in hospital in Brighton.

She stole the keys from around the neck of Derek Knight as he slept and stole money from his safe.

Constable also stole from Vicky Roper and Jack Shepherd in a care home where she worked.

The motivation for her crimes was “sheer greed”, a court heard.

It left the son of Mrs Mitchell, a blind octogenarian, feeling angry and betrayed, as Constable pilfered the possessions while his mother was dying of cancer in hospital.

At Lewes Crown Court she admitted theft charges and possession of cocaine.

Judge Mark Van Der Zwart said Constable had deliberately targeted other victims for their vulnerability.

He jailed her for a total of three years.

Jonathan Edwards, prosecuting, told the court how the offences took place between December 2017 and July 2018.

He said Mrs Mitchell’s case had the highest value, with silver jewellery and pieces worth more than £15,000.

The items were “irreplaceable” and included gifts from her Christening, as well as one piece of jewellery which had been with Mrs Mitchell’s family since 1802.

She had trusted Constable as a carer, but when she went into hospital, Constable let herself into Mrs Mitchell’s home and helped herself.

It was revealed that Constable denied any wrongdoing, and suspicion fell onto a second carer provided by The Martlets Hospice before Constable’s crimes were exposed.

Her son said he felt anger and guilt at not believing her concerns about items going missing.

“I will never have the chance to apologise,” he said. “For that, I will never be able to forgive Kelly Constable.”

Kevin Light, defending, said Constable had started to use cocaine to boost her mood, and has been a carer for 20 years.

Constable, of Cheapside, Brighton, admitted stealing jewellery and items worth £15,000 from Mrs Mitchell, stealing £5,000 from Derek Knight, and stealing small sums from Vicky Roper and Jack Shepherd.

The judge told her: “You lined your pockets with their cash and their most treasured possessions. Your motivation was not that you had fallen on hard times beyond your control, your motivation was sheer greed.

“The monetary value was as nothing compared to the sentimental value and the great distress caused by the breach of their trust and friendship in you.

“All right-thinking people will be appalled by your conduct.”