A CARER who stole from the bank account of a severely disabled man he looked after has been jailed.

Tichaona Makaka, 30, used the victim's bank details to repair and insure his car - even though Makaka had been disqualified from driving.

He was still working as a carer for a local agency when he was given an 18-week prison sentence at Manchester crown court after admitting four counts of fraud.

Who else has been locked up in Manchester this month? Sentences and photo gallery

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Blake told the married father-of-one - who also used the victim's cash to buy pizzas - that he had committed a 'gross breach of trust' and was unlikely to work in the field again.

The court heard that the victim, Michael Schofield, 42, had been paralysed from the neck down in a car accident and suffered from schizophrenia.

Mr Schofield, from Harpurhey, received funding from Manchester council to pay for 24-hour care, as well as benefits.

His father, David Schofield, opened a bank account for the money and allowed carers to make withdrawals to do his son's shopping.

Makaka - a trained carer from Woodend Road, Wythenshawe - had been employed privately by the family for 10 months when David Schofield noticed suspect transactions in February and called police.

Makaka was arrested and admitted spending £245.61 of Mr Schofield's money.

Judge Blake gave him 12 weeks for the theft and ordered him to serve six weeks for breaching the terms of an earlier suspended sentence for driving while disqualified.

The judge told a stunned looking Makaka: "I know that carers don't get paid very much, but the trust which is reposed in them is considerable. What you have done is a gross breach of trust.

"The money is not enormous but had you not been stopped it may have gone on for some considerable time."

Who else has been locked up in Manchester this month? Sentences and photo gallery