CARER who ripped off thousands from the chequebook of her frail 95-year-old charge has failed in a bid to get her jail sentence cut on appeal.

Larissa Ann-Marie Seepersad, 35, of Archery Close, Harrow, was supporting her jobless, alcoholic, epileptic husband and two children when she abused the trust of Phyllis McPherson, an elderly lady in her care, cashing a £3,000 cheque and attempting to cash another for £4,500.

Seepersad was jailed for a year at Harrow Crown Court after being convicted of obtaining a money transfer by deception and attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception on August 18 this year.

Today she asked Lord Justice Scott Baker, sitting with Mr Justice Penry-Davey and Judge Loraine-Smith at London's Criminal Appeal Court, to cut that term claiming she had not been given enough credit for her difficult circumstances.

The court heard that Mrs McPherson's nephew had spotted the bogus withdrawals form her account whilst attending to her affairs and had queried them at the bank, who had then contacted the police.

Seepersad's barrister told the court she was a hard working woman in a desperate situation, who having lost her carer's job started working as a council street sweeper in a determined attempt to support her family still.

But Lord Justice Baker, describing the offence as a "gross breach of trust", dismissed her appeal.

"The fact that she had two children and a husband with problems has already been reflected in a substantial reduction in her sentence," he said.

"The offence was committed on a very vulnerable woman and there was no guilty plea.

"Having regard to the effect this sentence will have on this lady we have nevertheless come to the conclusion that the judge's approach to this sentence was entirely proper."