A carer who swindled £20,000 from a vulnerable elderly patient was jailed today for 14 months. Linda Dobbie, 50, stole the cash from Anne Beck at various locations in Glasgow between July 2017 and December 2018.
Dobbie took her bank card without permission to withdraw money from ATMs on a weekly basis. Dobbie - who was employed by firm Carr Gomm - told police she used the money to pay back her son's drug debt.
The first offender pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to embezzling £20,000 from Miss Beck. The court heard Miss Beck - who was aged between 71 and 73 - suffers from reduced mobility and severe mental health issues.
It was stated she suffers poor understanding due to taking strong medication for most of her life as well as poor hearing.
Prosecutor Katie Bell said: "Miss Beck was unaware of this incident which was exploited due to her health condition and carers looking after her finances." Dobbie was described as being in a "position of trust."
The hearing was told a witness became "suspicious" after she discovered that some of Miss Beck's bank statements were missing around December 2018.
New statements were ordered and the witness noticed there was an ongoing course of action. Miss Bell said: "She became aware large sums of money appeared to be missing from the account and she carried out her own enquiries to confirm anything suspicious before contacting the police."
It was noted that £300 was being withdrawn regularly with the first taking place on July 12 2017. These were made on a weekly basis sometimes twice a week until December 2018. A company noting system was in place which tracked patient and staff movements.
Miss Bell told the court: "The noticed showed Miss Beck wasn't out the flat and Dobbie was working in each of the occasions the money was withdrawn."
Police were notified and Dobbie admitted to officers and her employers that she had taken the cash. "She said she was under pressure as her son owed money to a drug dealer," Miss Bell said.
Dobbie stated that she obtained Miss Beck's PIN but the pensioner was not present during the withdrawals. Grazia Robertson, defending, told the court that Dobbie received no financial benefit from the embezzlement.
Sheriff Michael Hanlon stated at the earlier hearing: "Due to the seriousness, no matter what the background circumstances are it goes without saying this was a gross breach of trust on a vulnerable adult.”
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