A former social services care worker has been jailed after he stole £3,970 from a 92-year-old man he befriended through his work.

Konrad Kumor, of Mona Drive, Douglas, continued to visit the pensioner after he stopped being his carer and used the man’s bank card to pay for his own bills.

Kumor stole from the vulnerable man over a 20-month period saying that he could not afford to pay his bills due to blowing money on his gambling addiction.

Magistrates sentenced the 39-year-old to four months in prison after he admitted theft.

Prosecutor James Robinson said that the pensioner had now died.

We previously reported that Kumor was initially assigned as the 92-year-old’s care worker by social services in May 2016.

The pensioner was said to have mobility, sight and hearing problems.

After six weeks, the programme of care involving Kumor ended, but he continued to visit the man.

However, the pensioner then noticed that £2,050 had been withdrawn from his account without his permission.

He was said to have confronted Kumor who admitted taking the money but the man forgave him and the pair continued to be friends without the matter being reported.

Then in January 2017, the pensioner agreed to lend Kumor £1,500 to buy a car and a written agreement was drawn up between the pair.

However, after concerns by a neighbour and social services that Kumor was taking advantage of the man, he was suspended from his job in March 2017.

The following day Kumor resigned his position at social services.

However, Kumor still continued to visit the 92-year-old, despite the concerns of social services and the neighbour, after the pensioner stated that he wanted to continue their friendship and that he did not feel vulnerable.

The man admitted that money had been going missing but he refused to acknowledge that Kumor would have taken it.

But investigations revealed that Kumor had used the man’s bank card to pay gas bills totalling £264.34 and telephone bills of £430.

He had also made a payment to a blinds company of £317 and of £903 to paypal.

Other smaller items had also been bought.

When interviewed by police, Kumor admitted using the man’s card. He apologised and offered to pay back the money.

The court heard that the pensioner had been reimbursed for his loss by his bank HSBC for his losses.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that Kumor had a gambling habit at the time of offence and estimated that he had lost between £50,000 and £70,000 gambling.

’The theft began after Mr Kumor’s employment had ceased. It is accepted the first theft occurred in July 2016 when he made a paypal transaction for £2,050.

’He wishes to stress he became trapped in a vicious circle. He was gambling to try to pay the money back but it just became worse. His income was being spent on gambling.’

Mr Kermode went on to say that Kumor had lived in the island since 2004 and was now working as a self-employed Hermes driver as well as claiming job seekers’ allowance.

’He is now free of his gambling addiction,’ said the advocate. ’But he has made contact with an addiction agency. It’s fair to say his attitude is one of extreme shame.

’It is accepted this is a breach of trust case although he wasn’t employed at the time of the offence. What perhaps is of more debate is the issue raised, is this a case where there has been a sinister nature, pre-meditated exploitation of a 92-year-old? Or has Mr Kumor simply succumbed to temptation to serve his gambling addiction?’

A probation report assessed Kumor as a low risk of harm to the public and of re-offending.

The court heard that the bank had not made a claim for compensation.