Childminder stole from home of ex-Swindon Town footballer

Emily Canete, 59, of Warwick Road, London, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by an employee at an earlier hearing at Swindon Crown Court in May 2024.

The defendant appeared for sentencing on Tuesday, July 29 where prosecutor Ms McGee explained that Canete worked as a live-in nanny and housekeeper for three families between July 2017 and August 2022, which included properties in East Horsley and Marlborough. 

Her first victim was Leah Cronin between July 2017 and December 2018.

Canete, who cried from the dock as the facts of the case were read out, stole items of clothing, a trinket box and a watch which was a present for Mrs Cronin's husband with his name engraved into it, worth around £1,800 in total.

Among the items stolen from Mrs Wade's home between December 2018 and April 2022 were Ray Ban sunglasses, Ugg slippers and items of clothing, thought to be worth around £500.

Canete lived at the Austin family home from May to July 2022, where she was trusted with house keys and bank cards.

While Bianca Austin was away in Australia, Canete told Bianca's mother that her dad had passed away and she needed to return to the Philippines, but she went to work at Mrs Wade's home.

Meanwhile, Mrs Austin returned from her trip to find a number of items missing, including items of clothing, a pair of training shoes, a pair of flip flops, cosmetics, a drawstring bag, a hot water bottle and a condiment set, valued at around £2,500 in total.

She reported this to the police and Mrs Wade informed Mrs Austin that Canete's dad had in fact passed away many years earlier.

Canete, who had been staying in the annex at Mrs Wade's home, left behind stolen items belonging to all three victims.

She was due to stand trial after pleading not guilty to a further charge of stealing approximately £1,000 from Mrs Austin in July 2022, but this count will remain on Canete's file.

The 59-year-old was arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 7, 2023 and told officers she hadn't done anything wrong, but she had come back to face what had happened.

She denied stealing any items from the women and when officers showed her pictures of their property in the annex, she claimed it all belonged to her.

All three victims provided an impact statement, describing how the incidents had stopped them from being able to fully trust people, with Mrs Cronin saying she had been left "disappointed, violated and disturbed" by Canete's actions.

Mrs Austin said that her family had been forced to move out of their 'forever home' because it no longer felt like their home.

"I no longer trust anyone in our home and I've not hired a nanny since. This has impacted my children significantly having to now juggle work life and the three children myself", she explained.

She added that the incident had also impacted her mother, who bought Canete a bouquet of flowers and cards from the children when she heard the news about her dad's passing, unaware she was being lied to.

In mitigation, Canete's defence argued that she could "clearly be rehabilitated in the community" because she had previously been a woman of good character with no past convictions, who had adhered to her bail conditions and not reoffended since.

No explanation was given in mitigation as to why Canete had stolen the items from the three homes.

Judge Townsend told Canete: "You were trusted by the people who employed you and you breached that trust, causing them significant distress.

"I note from the statements they've made that that breach of trust has caused them difficulties in the way in which they deal with other people following what you did to them and in many ways, that's the most serious part of your offending."

Canete was sentenced to an 18 month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work and up to 25 rehabilitation activity days working with the probation service.