A woman emptied a disabled man’s house of £12,000 worth of possessions after he trusted her with a spare key.

Phillipa Thompson, 38, of Gloucester Close, Kettering, was the neighbour of a man with cerebral palsy and learning difficulties.

The court heard Thompson was trusted with a key to the man’s property in June last year when he moved to live somewhere else in the town, as he wanted someone to keep an eye on his possessions.

Lynsay Knott, prosecuting, said that when the man returned to the flat on August 10 he found it had been almost entirely emptied of all his possessions, including two sofas, a tumble dryer, CD player and cooker.

The man became suspicious of Thompson and a police search of her flat uncovered the stolen tumble dryer.

The total amount of property stolen was worth £12,000, and some of the items including the sofas have now been recovered.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the man said: “I never thought for one moment she would steal from me. If I can’t trust my friend, who can I trust?

“She knew I had disabilities so that is why I am so upset.

“In some ways I wish I had been burgled by a stranger. I don’t feel safe with anyone any more.”

James McLernon, mitigating, said Thompson had been “pressured” by others into committing the crime.

Recorder Edward Hess sentenced Thompson to a 12-month curfew order from 7pm to 7am. She must pay the victim surcharge of £60.

Recorder Hess said: “What you did to this man was a terrible thing and you have just shown enough remorse to get away without a custodial sentence.”

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