A woman who blew £50,000 of her dementia-stricken father's savings that was supposed to pay his care home fees was jailed for a year.
Alison Carson told a social worker she’d spent all the money and resorted to buying scratch cards in a desperate bid to “win it back”.
Carson, 53, of Shotts, Lanarkshire, admitted embezzling the cash between August 2016 and February 2018.
Passing sentence on Friday, Sheriff Joseph Hughes said she had shown “absolutely no remorse” and believed she had done “nothing wrong”.
He told Carson: “You even had the audacity to tell a social worker your father had told you to spend the money and you always did what you were told.”
Airdrie Sheriff Court heard that she was appointed welfare and financial guardian for her dad, Hugh McMath, when he developed dementia.
He lived in Airdrie, but she struggled to look after him there and he moved to the town’s Rawyards Care Home in October 2015.
It was determined that he had enough savings to pay for his care, but funds couldn’t be accessed until August the following year when Carson was appointed guardian.
In the meantime, North Lanarkshire Council paid the care home fees.
Lauren Cole, prosecuting, said that at some point after getting access to the money Carson offered to pay the council £30,000 that was owed.
Due to an issue with the council’s system, this could not be done at that time.
Mrs Cole told the court: “In February 2018, a council social work officer informed the accused the outstanding balance was now about £51,000.
“Ms Carson told her she had spent all the money, saying matters had spiralled out of control, she had a lot of debt and had been buying scratch cards to try to win back the money.
“She also said it was ok because her father was insured.”
The court heard Carson was obliged as guardian to keep records regarding her father’s money, but had failed to produce receipts and invoices.
It emerged she had paid for his haircuts and chiropody treatment, but there was no evidence that she had spent significant sums on his needs.
Instead, police found “numerous suspicious transactions” involving shops including Ikea and Mothercare.
Mr McMath died aged 87 in September 2018. His insurance company covered the fees due to the council.
Defence agent Gavin Lawson said Carson had bought clothing, furniture and furnishings for her dad, but acknowledged this “did not come close” to the sum embezzled.
Mr Lawson stated: “This is a cautionary tale to all those admitted to the role of guardian.”
He said his client’s health has “suffered terribly because of this series of events” and she now has terminal cancer.
The solicitor added: “She was devoted to her dad and cared deeply for him. I believe she spent a lot of money on him but her record keeping was poor.”
He said Carson could pay compensation to Aviva Insurance as she is due to inherit money from the sale of her father’s home.
But Sheriff Hughes said she had “significantly crossed the custody threshold”.
He stated: “You single-handedly spent your father’s savings, primarily on yourself.
“In my view there was a significant level of planning by you.
“You disregarded your father’s wellbeing by directing his hard-earned savings to yourself rather than to his care.
“You have no previous convictions but, after much consideration and reflection, I find myself unable to step back from imposing a period of imprisonment.”
The sheriff refused Aviva’s request for a compensation order, saying that was an issue the company could pursue through a civil court.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
