A care-worker’s career is in ruins after he repeatedly stole money from a young man with mental health problems.

Staff at the York charity base where fraudster Adam Christopher Shakesby, 32, used to work are now having to work hard to restore trust, York Crown Court heard.

The charity itself, Mencap, is out of pocket because it has refunded the money he stole to the client.

Judge Simon Hickey told Shakesby: “It was a mean offence, taking from such a vulnerable young man. He couldn’t complain and he wouldn’t have realised what was happening.”

The charity’s work would have suffered because it had repaid the client.

Shakesby had carried out the fraud because he was so short of money he was living in his car and washing himself and relying on meals at the home to survive, said the judge.

His own mental health had suffered following the death of his father and brother and he had had to move out of the family home.

The judge suspended a five-month prison sentence for 18 months on condition Shakesby does 10 days’ rehabilitative activities and 150 hours’ unpaid work. He was not ordered to pay compensation to the charity because he lives on Universal Credit.

Shakesby, of Hamlyn Avenue, Hull, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position. He was sacked by the charity. He had worked in the care industry since he was 18.

His barrister Sean Smith said Shakesby had lost the career that he loved and is retraining for a different kind of work.

“He has expressed genuine remorse,” said Mr Smith “He is ashamed of his behaviour. He says it feels like stealing from a family member. This offence was committed purely and simply out of financial desperation.”

Shakesby had been working 15 hours a day but had not been able to meet his financial needs.

Kelly Clarke, prosecuting, said Shakesby had worked at the Mencap facilities in York for eight years.  Staff members, if the clients’ next of kin gave permission, could use their bank cards to pay for everyday expenses.

But when the victim’s mother returned from a holiday in the summer of 2023, she found deductions had been taken from her son’s bank account she didn’t expect and contacted Mencap.

Shakesby had been on duty each time the bank card was used and was caught on CCTV using it.

He was suspended from work and later sacked. In total he took £1,250.

An impact statement from the charity said staff morale had dropped because Shakesby had worked there for  eight years.