A trusted employee who stole more than £5,100 from the bank accounts of six vulnerable male residents of a Wearside care home has been spared jail for now.

Kimberley Barker, 30, formerly of Red House, in Sunderland, was handed a suspended prison term by magistrates, who told her she had breached their trust by crimes they described as “planned”.

The senior support worker committed the offences at the Serlby Close centre, in Coach Road, Usworth, Washington, between January 9 and November 6 of last year.

A court heard Barker did so after being left cash-strapped when a relationship broke down and she had loans to pay off.

Former employee Kimberley Barker has admitted stealing thousands of pounds from residents at Serlby Close Residential Home, in Washington.

placeholder image — Former employee Kimberley Barker has admitted stealing thousands of pounds from residents at Serlby Close Residential Home, in Washington.

She was ordered to pay the money back in full but is likely to be given at least three years to do so.

Prosecutor Mariam Odetero said: “The defendant was employed as a senior support worker at a residential care home for residents with life-long learning issues.

“They were unable to manage their own finances. As part of her role, the defendant assisted with their financial matters.

“She had access to their bank cards and pins. She made use of the cards to withdraw money from residents’ accounts.

“The offences came to light in March 2025 when the defendant was going on annual leave and was asked to review the records.

“Management said the review was being given out to someone else.”

At an earlier hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Barker pleaded guilty to six counts of theft from the person of another.

She took totals of £1,730, £900, £850, two amounts of £700 and £290 from her victims.

The court was told at the earlier hearing that offences could attract a jail term of up to three years.

When she returned to the same court this week, Jason Dudhee, defending, confirmed Barker, now of East Street, High Spen, Gateshead, had been “left to pay the loans”.

Mr Dudhee said she recognised what she had done was wrong, was genuinely remorseful and had suffered health setbacks after her crimes came to light.

He added she would not get the health support she now needs if imprisoned.

Magistrates jailed Barker for 12 weeks, suspended for 18 months, and sentenced her to a 12-month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days.

They said she could normally expect to pay the money back within three years but accepted the exact timeframe would be decided by the relevant benefits agency.

The home is run by Sunderland Care and Support.

A Sunderland City Council spokesperson said after Barker’s guilty plea: “Sunderland Care and Support, a local authority trading company owned by the city council, worked with Northumbria Police to bring the case to prosecution after uncovering the theft through its own internal auditing processes.

“As a result of her actions, and this serious breach of trust, Kimberley Barker is no longer an employee of Sunderland Care and Support.”