A CARE worker from St Paul's Cray has been jailed after stealing £3,000 from a resident at a home for people with learning difficulties.

Sonay Mustafa, aged 53, of Petersham Drive, was found guilty of theft and false accounting.

She was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court to 14 months in jail.

Mustafa worked as a support worker for The Avenues Trust, assisting people with learning difficulties living in supported accommodation.

Police were called when a routine audit by the company uncovered discrepancies in money being withdrawn from the accounts of one of the residents at the home.

An investigation discovered that between April and July 2011 Mustafa had been withdrawing money to buy clothes for herself.

She was arrested on January 21 last year.

Mustafa denied the offences throughout but was convicted of by a jury at trial.

As well as her jail sentence, she was also ordered to pay £3,000 in compensation and £3,000 in court costs.

Detective Constable Wendy Bennett, from Bromley police's safeguarding adults at risk team, said: "I am saddened that Mustafa has taken advantage of those with learning disabilities through nothing more than pure greed.

"I hope that the sentence handed down to her sends out the message that we will continue to work to bring to justice all those who commit these deplorable crimes."