A NEWPORT woman, who stole more than £8,000 from the vulnerable people she cared for, was given a suspended sentence.

Kayleigh Goodman, 24, of Prince Street, Maindee, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday, having previously admitted 13 counts of theft and fraud. She also asked for a further 12 similar offences to be taken into account.

Prosecutor Andrew Trigg said the incidents took place between January and June 2010, while Goodman was working as a carer for Prompt Care Ltd and Celtic Care.

A total of £8,763.14 was taken during the offences.

The court heard her duties included visiting elderly and vulnerable people in their homes and helping with household chores as well as caring for the clients.

Mr Trigg said it was while she was at the houses that she took cheques belonging to three clients, two of which were blind, and forged their signatures to cash the cheques. The court heard she stole £600 from a fourth client, who kept cash in a drawer in his bedroom.

Mr Trigg said the offences came to light after the daughter of one of the victims was notified by the bank that a cheque for £2,800 had been cashed.

In a statement read to the court, one of Goodman's victims said: "I have lost trust in the carers who I thought of as friends. She is a very silly girl and I truly hope she realises the anguish she caused me."

Representing Goodman, who has a two-month-old child, Andrew Morse said she was suffering from a depressive illness at the time of the offences and was struggling to pay her rent. He said she made full admissions in interview and was remorseful for her actions.

Judge Phillip Richards said: "I'm afraid you behaved outrageously while you were a carer and caused innocent vulnerable people a great deal of anguish."

Goodman was sentenced to 18 weeks, suspended for two years, made the subject of a two-year supervision order and ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work.