A CARE home boss has appeared in court charged with stealing nearly £18,000 from his residents.

Derek John Dalley, 50, faces charges that relate to thefts from people living at Hazel-dean care home in Hanover Road, Weymouth.

Weymouth Magistrates Court was told that Dalley faces five charges of theft by finding, one charge of false accounting and another of ill-treating and wilfully neglecting people without capacity.

The charges are all alleged to have taken place between September 2008 and October 2010.

Prosecutor Julian Lawrence told Weymouth Magistrates Court: “All these charges relate to people under the care of this defendant.

“Mr Dalley is alleged to have taken funds from their accounts.

“This is a severe breach of trust on behalf of the defendant.”

The Crown Prosecution Service says that Dalley stole £17,948 from his clients by withdrawing money from their bank accounts.

He is alleged to have various amounts starting at £1,000 on five different dates between September 2008 and February 2009.

On September 22 2008 he is said to have taken £8,000 from a number of residents.

Dalley is also charged with ill-treating or wilfully neglecting four residents between January 1 2008 and October 19 2010, whom he was said to believe lacked mental capacity.

The false accounting charge alleges that Dalley falsified daily cash books and account books for residents.

It alleges that he dishonestly with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another, falsified a record, namely exercise books being used as daily cash books and triple entry ledger books being used as full account books.

Dalley, who remained impassive in the dock, is yet to enter pleas to the charges.

District Judge Roger House rejected jurisdiction for the offences at magistrates court.

He was released on bail to return to Weymouth Magistrates Court on September 23 at 10am for committal to crown court.