A FORMER care manager has been warned he could be facing jail after he confessed to stealing more than £32,000 from people whose interests he was supposed to be protecting.

Carl Storer, 38, was a team leader for the Alternative Futures Group, which operates across Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and Ribble Valley, when the missing money came to light.

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Storer, of Herbert Street, Padiham, was accused of eight offences of fraud, between September 2014 and March 2016, involving the charity.

He was charged with using his position as team manager at Alternative Futures to make a gain for himself, or cause loss to another, in respect of eight people.

Storer admitted to defrauding Dennis Northey of £11,085 over the period, caused losses of £7,610 to Frank Edward, £7,630 to another client, Peter Whelan, and £5,440 to Eric Parker.

Further frauds of £1,1120, £1,030, £840 and £640, relating to four other individuals, Clifford Sculpher, David Green, John Rowley and Alan Briggs, were also admitted.

Richard Taylor, defending, said it was accepted that these were “significant offences” and his client, who had no previous convictions, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Remanding him on bail for pre-sentence reports until December 8, Judge Jonathan Gibson said: “This case is not reserved to me, so I may well not be the sentencing judge. It seems right to me that you should have a pre-sentence report but given the serious nature of these offences custody must be more likely than not.”

Bosses from Alternative Futures and the family of at least one of Storer’s victims were in court to hear the guilty pleas lodged.

Alternative Futures provides support services to people with learning and physical disabilities, mental health concerns, dementia and substance misuse problems across East Lancashire.