FRIENDS of a 90-year-old woman have described being 'appalled' and 'utterly shocked' after her carer avoided jail despite stealing more than £13,000.

Yesterday, villagers in the Oxfordshire village of Blewbury were digesting the news that Christian Whitton of Overdale Close, Barton, walked away with a suspended sentence from Oxford Crown Court on Monday.

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The 45-year-old admitted repeatedly withdrawing large amounts of money from the credit card of Patricia Wallis while he was employed as her carer.

But he claimed his caring responsibilities for his own family meant he couldn't go to prison.

One woman, who knows the victim but wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I am horrified, the whole thing is appalling.

"It does make you lose faith in the English system of justice.

"Providing he stays out of trouble for the next 18 months, it feels like he's got away with it.

"The reaction in the village is overwhelmingly one of anger."

The woman said that Dr Wallis' Christian beliefs are likely to mean she will forgive Whitton for his crimes.

She added: "She is such a lovely, caring person, she does not see the bad in anybody.

"She trusted him and even gave him treats occasionally.

"She has become very introverted since it all happened but I can't say if this is because of the events.

"She has a good carer now and is doing better."

Whitton had been working for Dr Wallis for nearly four years when a cousin, Simon Wallis, raised the alarm after finding a number of suspicious transactions on his relative's John Lewis account.

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Across locations in south Oxfordshire, including Wallingford and Didcot, £200 had been withdrawn on several occasions.

Mr Wallis found similar activity on a Marks and Spencer credit card and Whitton admitted to taking £13,390, using part of it to fund a wedding.