A ZIMBABWEAN CARER left a vulnerable pensioner was left £2,649 poorer after taking advantage of the elderly man, 74.

The victim was left devastated and depressed after the live-in carer treated himself to an iPhone 10 after stealing his bank cards.

Zvikomborero Tapfumaneyi, 25, admitted stealing bank cards from a 74-year-old man he was caring for, before using said cards for £2649.59 worth of fraudulent transactions.

A district judge at Reading Magistrates’ Court heard that the victim was left ‘devastated and depressed’ after being betrayed by his carer, who was originally from Zimbabwe but lived with the victim in Wokingham.

“The defendant was insured to drive his mobility vehicle, and would walk the defendant to the cash point when he needed to withdraw money.

“At 8.30am on Wednesday June 6 the victim was awoken by his carer who told him he had been made aware of an urgent family issue in Zimbabwe.

“He left and took all of his stuff.

“Later that afternoon, the defendant received a call from the fraud team at Barclays Bank, who informed him that there had been a series of transactions on his card.

“Those transactions included the iPhone, the food and the cash, as well as roughly £6,000/£7,000 worth of declined transactions.”

The victim’s statement was read to the court in parts.

The statement read: “I feel completely and utterly devastated by these events.

“I feel very stressed and depressed, I did not give him the authority to use the cards.”

Tapfumaneyi had only been living with his victim for a week before carrying out the crime, having moved in on May 30 and carrying out the theft on June 6. . – MORE