A disabled woman whose professional carer stole cash from her purse says she is appalled magistrates allowed her to walk free.

Callous Shirley Coope, 51, claimed that she had regarded multiple sclerosis sufferer Lindsay May, 64, as a friend as well as an employer – but that did not stop her exploiting her vulnerable victim.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate magistrates’ court, Coope, of Stanhope Road, off Wigton Road, Carlisle, admitted stealing from the multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferer between October and December last year.

She was given a suspended 26-week jail term.

The distraught victim, from Longtown, described the sentence as “disgusting,” saying: “If this is justice, it doesn’t impress me.”

Prosecutor Pam Ward told the court how Mrs May was vulnerable because her MS is at an advanced stage, leaving her entirely dependent on her electric wheelchair and the support of professional carers.

“In October last year, she began to suspect that cash was being taken out of her purse without permission,” said Mrs Ward.

“Initially, it was difficult to identify who was taking the cash, which was inside a small handbag owned by Mrs May. It was always on the living room floor next to an armchair.”

Mrs May enlisted the help of her former husband, who painstakingly wrote down the serial numbers of the bank notes in her purse. In this way, they were able to eliminate other members of staff as possible culprits.

Mrs Ward said: “On Thursday, October 13, last year, £10 was taken from Mrs May’s purse.

“She knew it must have been taken by the defendant because she was the only other person with access to the purse during the time-scale when the note was taken.

“On October 15, another £15 was taken and again Mrs Coope was the only other person with access to the purse.

“She’d been employed by Mrs May for three years as a personal carer, covering Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, from 8am to noon.”

On December 12, police visited Coope at her home in Carlisle, and in her handbag they found one of the £10 notes stolen from Mrs May.

A total of £165 was taken.

Mrs Ward argued that the case was so serious that it should be dealt with by a circuit judge at Carlisle Crown Court, and not magistrates.

In her impact statement, Mrs May said: “I was absolutely astonished and saddened at the same time. I became very depressed at the situation.

“I was constantly feeding my purse with money, knowing it may be taken by a trusted member of staff... I felt totally let down.”

After Coope was identified, other staff had to work extra hours to cover her shift while Mrs May tried to organise a replacement carer.

Mrs Ward said it was well documented that stress makes MS worse and as the investigation got underway Mrs May’s health suffered and she began to lose strength in her right hand and arm, her last fully-working limb.

Coope was so trusted that she had been given access to Mrs May’s banking details, said the prosecutor.

“It destroyed my faith in human nature,” said Mrs May. “I feel I’ll never be able to trust another person in the same way again.”

Anthony Wilson, for Coope, said that through him the defendant wanted to offer her victim a “sincere and genuine” apology.

He said: “She was very upset in her police interview.

“She can’t offer any excuse, or reason why she did it. It certainly wasn’t to fund any extravagances in her lifestyle.

“She can’t fathom why she would do this to someone she had a great deal of respect for; someone she saw as a friend as well as an employer. She’s 50 years old and has no previous convictions.”

Magistrates suspended the jail term for a year and imposed a four-month 6pm to 6am curfew on Coope, but agreed that it need not start until January 30 as the defendant is due to attend a celebration of her parents’ wedding anniversary.

They also ordered that she pay her victim £468 compensation, with £85 costs.

After the case, Mrs May, formerly a successful dog breeder whose dogs won accolades at Crufts, said of the sentence: “It’s absolutely disgusting. It completely destroys your faith in human nature. The stress of this has definitely affected my MS.”

Magistrates and judges are often restricted in sentences by official guidelines, which compel them to reduce sentences because of background factors such as the health of the defendant and whether they have a criminal record. Magistrates told Coope that her jail term would be suspended because of her previous good character.