A carer accused of stealing money from elderly ladies in Winchester was sacked from her job after she was trapped, a court heard.

Angela Pain (43) turned white when told she had been caught, prosecutor, Simon Privett, told Winchester Crown Court.

It heard how Pain was found in possession of money which had been planted at the home of an elderly lady and sacked on the spot.

Mr Privett said, during the her time with Greenbanks Home Care, complaints had been made about money and a watch not being returned to the owners.

Although the incidents were explained, a trap was set to catch Pain.

Banknotes, photocopied for reference, were left at the home of an elderly lady due to be visited by the carer.

Carol Coster, area manager of Greenbanks, told the court she had summoned Pain to the office after her visit and found the cash in her car.

She was sacked and asked to hand in her uniform and identity card. Among the items Pain returned was a pension book belonging to another elderly client, Rosemary White.

Mr Privett told the court that, in February, Mrs White had cashed a large number of pension cheques totalling £1,140 while accompanied by a carer, allegedly Pain.

The following month, the money, which was kept in cash at Mrs White's home, was seen by another carer who described it as a "substantial wad" of at least 10 £20 notes.

But two days later there were just six £20 notes, Mr Privett told the court.

Pain told police in an interview that Mrs White had given her the pension book so that she could take her to the post office the next day.

But, in court, Pain denied that Mrs White had given her the book and said she must have accidentally picked it up.

Pain told the court: "I don't know why I said that; at the end of the day I picked it up with the timesheet."

Nicholas Rowland, defending, asked Pain what her state of mind had been when she was interviewed by police.

She replied: "I was so amazed about what I had been accused of, I was getting in such a confused state and I was worried about my children being picked up from school."

Pain, of St Martin's Close, Winnall, Winchester, denies two counts of theft.