A FORMER warden of a Hindhead nursing home was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing more than £200,000 from elderly and infirm residents.

The court heard that he had used the money to buy a new car and kitchen, and to pay for his daughter's wedding.

Richard James Devereux, 64, who had two previous convictions for fraud, appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Friday. He was sentenced on 17 counts of theft.

The court heard that he had stolen the money after being given Power of Attorney over the affairs of five residents at the Manormead Nursing and Residential Home.

The home is owned by the Church of England Pensions Board.

Devereux's previous convictions dated back to 1972 and 1978 when he had been charged with fraud at Gloucester Crown Court in relation to forging signatures on cheques from the businesses where he worked.

His partner Gabby Devereux, who although unmarried, changed her name by deed poll, gave her support by smiling from the public gallery.

The couple had travelled to Guildford from their home in Devon, where Mr Devereux had been working as manager of a leisure centre.

Devereux's five victims, now all deceased, Ruby Napper, Cybil and William Richardson, Elizabeth Fairbairn and Jean Marsh, were residents at the home where he worked from 1993 until November 2000.

The court heard from Crown Prosecutor Michael Speak how Devereux had been granted Power of Attorney over these residents' affairs by Hindhead solicitors, Bray and Lawson.

His position of attorney gave him unchecked and complete control over their savings.

By the time of his arrest in November, 2000, Devereux had a total of eight bank and building society accounts into which he had transferred thousands of pounds of his victims' money. The cash seized by the court on his arrest totalled £252,000.

Mr Speak explained that when questioned by the police, Devereux stated that the stolen monies had been generous gifts.

"In July, 1996, Mr Devereux stole £3,250 from Ruby Napper. Shortly after the theft he used this money to buy a Volkswagen Beatle.

When questioned by police, Mr Devereux said that this is what Mrs Napper would have wanted him to do," stated Mr Speak.

Police investigations revealed that Mr Devereux had stolen a further £1,000 to pay for a deposit on a new kitchen and then stolen a further £2,755, reflecting the exact payment he made for the completion of the kitchen.

Mr Speak added that Devereux had gone on to steal £10,000 from Mrs Napper, and used £8,000 of that sum to pay for his daughter's wedding.

It was as a result of a query from Mrs Napper's investment fund, Standard Life Investment, that the police were called in to investigate.

The operation. led by Detective Constable William Harrison. revealed that Devereux had also been transferring funds from the National Savings accounts and bank or building society accounts of the other residents.

In defence, Janice Brennan claimed that her client should not have been placed in the "midst of temptation".

"There will always be people who have the honesty and strength of character but unfortunately for Mr Devereux he was not one of those people," Mrs Brennan said

She went on to state that Devereux had been extremely friendly and supportive to the residents, "particularly to those who were estranged from their families".

In sentencing, Judge Derek Inman, said that Devereux was guilty of an abuse of trust and power.

"There is no doubt that you abused your powers of attorney by stealing money from the accounts and National Savings and other investment funds of these people. And I am quite sure that you understood the implications of your actions," said Judge Inman.

A spokesman for the Church of England Pensions Board told The Herald that because Devereux's convictions of fraud in 1972 and 1978 had happened so long ago, he had not been obliged to reveal them on his application form.

The spokesman added that since Devereux was arrested in November, 2000, new protocols were in place at Manormead and similar homes elsewhere. Checks are now made to ensure that staff with Power of Attorney are not abusing their positions.