A FORMER Bridgwater care home manager has been jailed for two years after admitting more than 50 counts of theft from residents worth £115,000.

Angela Brewer, 50, of Danesboro Road, Bridgwater, pleaded guilty to 51 counts of theft from residents at privately-run Limes Care Home on Church Street, and was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court.

In June 2008, police received a complaint from a solicitor acting on a deceased resident's behalf, expressing concern home residents could be victims of theft.

Officers in the force's economic crime team, working with Bridgwater colleagues executed search warrants at the care home and Brewer's address.

She was then arrested, but initially denied involvement, before later pleading guilty to 51 theft offences.

Detective Sergeant Terry Greenhow, of the economic crime team, said after the August 11 trial: "There can be no greater breach of trust than that of abusing those vulnerable adults within care.

"This investigation was made more difficult by the fact a number of the elderly residents had died, while others were deemed too vulnerable to be interviewed.

"We worked in close partnership with local social services and other agencies to minimise disruption to the home and residents' care during this investigation.

"This was in order to protect residents from any further risk of harm, while at the same seeking to bring those responsible to justice."

Brewer was said to be in very poor health and under doctors' care during the case at the turn of the year.