Family’s anger at ‘joke’ sentence for carer thief
THE family of an elderly couple who were preyed on by a thieving carer yesterday described her 16-week jail sentence as “a joke”.
Jodie Canfield stole from the people she was supposed to be looking after
Mother of two Jodie Canfield, 30, left the pensioners “heartbroken” after stealing thousands of pounds of jewellery and cash from them.
She pawned the gems for a fraction of their true worth and used the money to pay off a drug debt.
Brian Cale, an 82-year-old dementia sufferer, was badly affected by the theft and died just two days after Canfield was jailed. His wife Eleanor, 81, is now being treated for dementia.
He was heartbroken because all his love was in that jewellery
Their daughter Amanda Hetherington said: “The jail term is a joke but no sentence will take away the pain and grief my family has been through. “She will be free in a matter of weeks.
It isn’t right at all. I think the ordeal undoubtedly had a big effect on my father and contributed to his death.
“He was heartbroken because all his love was in that jewellery. This has been particularly difficult for my mum.
I do believe this is all because of the stress she has been through.”
Her brother Steve Cale said: “I think it is an extremely soft sentence.” Canfield, who worked for an agency, started stealing from the Cales just weeks after being sent to their home in Redditch, Worcs, in September last year.
Jodie Canfield only received a 16-week prison sentence
During 10 visits between September and December, she took £300 cash and jewellery worth £3,700. She was caught stealing more jewellery after police fitted hidden cameras in the couple’s home.
Canfield, of Redditch, admitted five counts of theft and money-laundering. She wept as Judge Michael Cullum jailed her at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.
He told her: “This was a mean theft from people who were dependent upon you. It was a gross breach of trust.”
Legal experts said yesterday that Canfield’s sentence was within legal guidelines.