A carer has been found guilty of callously helping herself to valuables from the family home where she looked after an elderly woman with Alzheimer's.

Mayuri Pankhani, 24, of Dakota Gardens, Northolt, had "the run of the house" in Church Road, Northolt, where she was employed as a carer to 90-year-old Gangaben Gokani from July 2009.

The 24-year-old was convicted of five counts of theft at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday last week (18).

Granddaughter Rakhee Gokani, 31, (pictured with her grandmother) spoke exclusively to the Gazette after the trial. She said the family are keen to warn people to be more careful when hiring carers.

Her father Mahendra, 67, was undergoing vital treatment for prostate cancer at the time, which only made life more stressful for the family.

She said: "The most important thing is that she doesn't do it again.

"There were items of particular sentimental value, my dad's watch for his 60th birthday and my Bulgari ring.

"It was one of those years you don't have, a really stressful year. We didn't even have time for a nice family meal.

"They asked me in court, why did we go to her birthday party in July if we suspected her. Because I never thought she would do that, we cared about her. I've heard of stuff like this happening but never thought someone I knew could do something like that."

A video camera trap was set by sisters, Neelam and Fahkee, in September last year, and a film purporting to show her caught in the act was shown to the jury.

Items said to have been stolen included Gucci and Kenneth Cole watches,necklaces belonging to Miss Gokani's deceased grandmother, rings, vouchers and cash - which Miss Gokani believed to have a net worth of £20,000.

Prosecutor Rose Burns said: "This was a callous theft from the family of the elderly woman for whom this woman cared."

Pankhani denied theft and says the items were either given to her or were hers in the first place but the jury convicted her.

Although their trust has been shaken, the family are currently looking for a new carer through Alzheimer's Concern. Miss Gokani said: "It's hard to let someone into your house and not trust them. We have to find hope thatmost people wont do that."