A care worker who stole from two of the vulnerable people he was caring for has been given a jail sentence.

Passing sentence at Llandudno magistrates’ court, chairman Jean Bryson told Daniel Lloyd Davies: “It was a total abuse of power and trust against vulnerable adults. We  don’t know what impact it had on them but it could have been significant.”

Davies, 28, of Ddol Hyfryd, Gronant, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two charges of fraud by abuse of position.

The court heard that between May and June last year he took a total of £790 from Alex Owen and £160 from Mark Hughes. At the time Davies  worked for the Cartrefi Ni agency and he looked after the victims’ personal and financial needs.

The money was withdrawn from their accounts and defence solicitor Rebecca Boswell said he had intended to repay the money but did not have a chance to do so.

Davies was given a 16-week jail sentence on each charge, to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months.

He was also given two four-week sentences  after being found guilty after trial of two charges of common  assault against his former partner Emma Thompson, two weeks for obstructing a police officer,  four weeks each for causing criminal damage to Miss Thompson’s house and two weeks for sending her a menacing text. All the periods will be concurrent and suspended.

Prosecutor Diane Williams said the relationship between the couple had broken down in January, 2019, and matters deteriorated after that.

Miss Thompson called the police after he smashed walls and doors at her home in Prestatyn on June 7 and again when he spat in her face on October 31. He struggled with the police officers as they tried to arrest him.

Miss Boswell said her client, who had no previous convictions, had mental health problems and was engaging with the community mental health team.

“He suffered the breakdown of his relationship, he lost his employment working with vulnerable adults, which he really enjoyed, and lost his home,” she said.

Davies got into debt and “made a very stupid mistake” in taking the money from the men’s accounts, she added.

The chairman said custodial sentences were justified but the Bench accepted that he had serious mental health problems and could be rehabilitated.

Davies must carry out a 15-day rehabilitation activity, and the court also made him subject of a restraining order preventing him from contacting Miss Thompson for two years except through a solicitor or court to access his children.