Christopher Engel was in charge of the Hollands Nursing Home at Church Road, Farnworth, when he began stealing money

Bolton Crown Court heard how Christopher Engel gave some of the cash to his estranged family, paid for a holiday and car and even used it to fund his mother's funeral expenses.

Engel, aged 49, was in charge of the Hollands Nursing Home at Church Road, Farnworth, when he began stealing money from one of the residents, a 61-year-old man with Parkinsons Disease, and dipping into a fund designed to benefit all the residents

Neil Ronan, prosecuting, said that, in total, Engel pocketed £12,500 from the resident's account and a further £6,000 from the fund.

The court heard that Engel, who has no previous convictions, began taking money from the man's bank account in February 2013 after being entrusted with his Barclays Bank debit card by the resident and his family.

Mr Ronan said Engel would withdraw cash from the cash machine at the bank and even transferred some of the resident's savings to his own account.

The thefts went on for two and a half years until the victim went into the bank to withdraw some money himself and discovered discrepancies.

A cashier decided to investigate and recognised Engel on CCTV footage using the cash machine.

Bank staff reported the matter to police and, when arrested on August 18 last year, Engels admitted theft.

Investigations revealed he had also dipped into a benefactors' fund, which held money donated by friends and families of residents for their use.

The court heard that Engel took control of the fund in March 2013, but did not keep proper records. In 2013 the fund had £6,591 in it, but at the time of his arrest it had dwindled to just £28.92.

Engel, of Sandygate Grove, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to the theft from the resident and stealing £6,000 from the fund.

Mr Ronan said: "It was a breach of a high degree of trust."

David Bruce, defending, said the offending began at around the time Engel's mother, to whom he was extremely close, died.

Judge Richard Mansell QC was told that, instead of using the stolen money to pay off his own £17,000 debts, Engel gave a large amount to his brother, used some for his mother's funeral and also bought a car and a holiday.

In a statement following the sentencing Omar Ahmad, director of the Sage Care Home Group, which runs the nursing home, said: "We never would have suspected Chris to do such a thing. It was a horrible surprise for us.

"Obviously we do not condone any such activities. We hope this will warn and deter anyone out there from committing such an offence."