A care home manager who stole nearly £11,000 from vulnerable residents was told on Monday she had committed a "wicked abuse of trust" as she was handed a suspended jail sentence.

Sherridan Wilkinson stole from three adults with severe learning difficulties at Lynwood House Care Home in Midsomer Norton.

The victims of the 48-year-old, of Wells Road, Emborough, were unable to look after their own finances and Wilkinson breached her position of trust when she took their money.

She was exposed when a senior member of staff noticed that cash withdrawals were being made from one victim's bank account, and an internal audit was made. Wilkinson was arrested and later admitted one charge of fraud by abusing her position of trust and two charges of theft.

Blonde-haired Wilkinson, who used the cash to pay off debts, sobbed as she was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay each victim £2,200 compensation and carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

She was also bound by curfew to her home address for six months between 8pm and 6am, and will be electronically tagged.

Eric Waley, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said the victims – Lauren Leal, Katherine Wilson and Michael Wride – had no insight into what their carer did.

He said Wilkinson started helping herself to their cash in February last year when she was appointed deputy care manager at Lynwood.

She was one of three people with the authority to sign cheques and a few months later was appointed acting manager of the home, a position she held until January this year, when she continued with her previous position.

Mr Waley told the court that the home's manager was checking through Lauren Leal's bank statement in March this year when she noticed several cash withdrawals had been made from the account at a time when the victim was seriously ill.

He said the discovery was reported to senior staff and an internal audit was carried out.

"The auditor noticed a number of cash withdrawals from all three victims. Those discrepancies covered about a year from February 2008 to January 2009.

"A cheque book in the name of Lauren Leal was outstanding.

"In relation to Katherine Wilson and Michael Wride, the cash withdrawals had been done using a cash card at a cashpoint," said Mr Waley.

He said Wilkinson was arrested on March 22 from her home address and handed over a Barclays Bank cheque book belonging to Ms Leal.

She told police she had taken money from Ms Leal's account by cashing cheques at Barclays in Midsomer Norton, where she was known by staff.

She said she had taken cash cards belonging to the other two victims from the office at the home.

Wilkinson said she had used the cash, a total of £10,900, to pay off her own debts.

Virginia Cornwall, defending, said her client's financial situation was "dire" when she took the money because her husband was out of work and bailiffs were knocking at their door.

Ms Cornwall said the defendant had intended to pay the money back but couldn't and knew that she now owed £10,900 to insurers who compensated her victims.

Sentencing Wilkinson, Judge Julian Lambert said: "This was a wicked abuse of trust where you stole from some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

"You express regret now you have been caught, but sorry may not be good enough.

"The loss is more than £10,000 spread between three charges."