A nurse who stole thousands of pounds from a vulnerable elderly patient has been jailed.
Rexy Reyes, now aged 52, worked on a dementia ward at the Queen’s Medical Centre when the victim was admitted for care in January 2020.
Over a period of around three weeks, Reyes used the victim’s bank card to make multiple cash withdrawals totalling £6,450.
The card was kept in the victim’s purse, along with a small piece of paper containing the PIN number.
His crimes were uncovered when a member of the victim’s family opened bank statements at her home and discovered the suspicious withdrawals.
Nottinghamshire Police were called to investigate and later identified Reyes as the prime suspect. He had been at work on 17 of the 22 days the card was used at one of two cashpoints near the hospital.
He had also been present on his day off when other withdrawals were made.
The thefts stopped when Reyes went on holiday to his native Philippines.
In the absence of CCTV covering the cash machines, specialist fraud detectives placed Reyes at the scene using door access card records.
Reyes, of Broxtowe Lane, Nottingham, initially denied responsibility and could offer no explanation as to why he was so closely linked to the withdrawals.
After a trial at Nottingham Crown Court, he was found guilty of two counts of theft by a jury on Monday and was sentenced to 18 months in in prison.
Detective Constable Akil Kapasi, a fraud investigator at Nottinghamshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said:
“This was the most appalling breach of trust involving a vulnerable patient and a medical professional paid and trusted to care for her.
“Stealing from her even once would have been bad enough, but Reyes did it again and again and again – even taking care to avoid detection on CCTV.
“I am pleased the jury in this case – having reviewed all available evidence – were able to see through Reyes’ lies and expose him for what he is.
“In committing these crimes, he not only betrayed a vulnerable victim, but also his hard-working colleagues who go to work each day to care for the most vulnerable people in our society.
“Sadly, the victim in this case has since passed away, but I hope that today’s sentence will at least provide her family with some comfort”
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