A financial adviser embezzled £212,000 after being trusted with the fortune of a widow as she battled dementia, a court heard.
Gordon Couch, 56, was given power of attorney over the affairs of frail Marjorie Stewart, who went into an Edinburgh nursing home.
He was later made executor of her estate after Marjorie died aged 91, leaving a will instructing cash be paid to relatives and charities.
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Couch is accused of taking huge sums from the estate while beneficiaries received nothing.
He went on trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading not guilty to a charge of embezzling £212,861 between April 1, 2009 and May 11, 2015.
Maths teacher Marjorie grew up in Aberdeenshire before living for four decades in Kenya with her husband.
She moved to Edinburgh before her husband’s death in 1998, and the childless couple employed Couch, of Penicuik, Midlothian, as a financial adviser. He was later granted power of attorney over her finances.
She had been hospitalised in 2012 and was found to have heart disease, cognitive impairment and dementia.
The court heard Couch was an executor following Marjorie’s death in 2013. Her will included bequests to nephews and nieces, £3000 for her house cleaner and charity donations.
Prosecutor Jack Caster said “no funds have been dispersed to any of the beneficiaries named in the will.”
The court was told dozens of payments were transferred annually from Marjorie’s account into Couch’s account, and that he transferred £195,538 into his account between April 2009 and May 2015, as well as payments into his company account.
The court heard Couch had a £117,800 debt management plan that still had £50,000 outstanding in 2015.
Giving evidence on Thursday, Marjorie’s nephew Gordon Mathew, a retired Church of Scotland minister, said he and his sister had inherited his aunt’s Barnton home in her will.
He said the flat was sold and funds issued but there were delays in payments to other will beneficiaries.
He said the family “communicated our dissatisfaction” over the hold-ups with Couch, who blamed paperwork.
Gordon, 73, said: “He seemed concerned that we were pursuing this like dogs with a bone.”
The trial continues.
