Care Home Manager Stole Almost £17,000 from Business Avoids Jail

Jason Cousins stole about £17,000 from Pontardawe Care Home where he had worked and was ordered to pay back the money or he would face jail, said the judge. The Swansea Crown Court heard that Jason Cousins, 45, of Tirydail Lane, Ammanford, was the manager and he ran the Tracscare Care Home in James Street, Pontardawe. He was told he was the sole signatory of the company cheque book.

Cousins' appearance before Judge Peter Heywood at the Swansea Crown Court for sentencing saw the judge note that despite being told Cousins would be paying back the money stolen, a compensation arrangement had not as yet been finalised. Ian Wright, who was defending, said that Cousins was initially prepared to pay £6,000 “up front” to Tracscare and he was to pay the remainder of the money in monthly payments of £100.

Faces jail sentence

However he has agreed with Judge Heywood that this arrangement could take “years” to repay the money back, so a new agreement was reached to pay the remainder of the money at a rate of £300 per month. Mr Wright stated that his client had made arrangements to get the initial £6,000 from a loan company which carried an annual interest rate of 49.9%. Judge Heywood stated that he had “grave concerns” the defendant would be able to keep up the loan repayments with such a high interest rate as well as the responsibility of meeting the £300 monthly remainder payments.

The Judge said that at least some of the money will be paid back to Tracscare but he was worried that Cousins might find himself under great pressure and likely “have people knocking on his door” should he find himself in a position where he could not pay back the loan. The judge has adjourned sentencing for three weeks and stated that he would be passing a suspended sentence on Cousins, provided he is able to prove in writing that the £6,000 has been paid and that the regular £300 per month had been arranged with the Care Home.

Mr Wright said that Cousins was now working selling insurance and that he was keen to repay the money. Judge Heywood said that he would give consideration to an unpaid work order as well as the suspended jail term, provided Cousins has made full arrangements to repay the amount that he stole in full.